Chemical Rebound
by Riyappe Paws
Summary: The kids have been turned into crazy cool morphing animals, and are finding things out about themselves that without the changes, they would never have thought they would posses. See them as they discover themselves and each other. *Note: This fic is near dead and going nowhere fast. Any and all suggestions on plot or plot devices are welcomed and encouraged. Read review and enjoy!
1. Trips

**Chemical Rebound**

_My world spun, the colors and shapes of the med bay were blurring into a strange, acid trippy world that seemed to deify all logic. Whatever had been in that vile that Ratchet had dropped was slowly expanding its territory from my back and head to my torso and upper thighs, leaving all the nerves in the skin that it toughed oversensitive and on edge, sending wave after wave of white hot heat and pain to what felt like my very soul. My vision was slowly being consumed by a wave of black, and as my consciousness abed, I turned and saw the looks of pain and confusion on Raf and Miko's faces. The strange silvery-blue substance of Ratchet's spattered on their clothing hair. Oh, it hurt. The waves of heat had intensified tenfold, and as I lost the last of my consciousness, I barely registered that the claw marks on my upper arms seemed to hurt more than the rest of my chemical covered body. The last thought to cross my mind as I blacked out was 'I hope Arcee won't be too worried when she gets back.'_

**Six hours previous**

The excitement in the air was intoxicating as the small caravan of people/auotbots made their way to the zoo in the next town over. Arcee and Bulkhead were both scouting for energeon, and Ratchet was back at base, working on the confiscated acidic venom samples that he had purloined from the crash site of Airacnid's interstellar vehicle.

Miko had opted to ride in Bumblebee with Raf, while Jack preferred to have a quieter ride in Optimus. All members of team Prime had been surprised to say the least, when the autobot leader had requested to accompany 'Bee and the kids on the fieldtrip like outing to "better observe the other indigenous life forms of Earth.' Being that he finished all of his pilling paper work, and would have several hours of rare free time, he preferred to spend his time learning. Opposed to napping (as Ratchet would prefer), or pounding on holoforms of Vehicons(as preferred by Arcee or Bulkhead) in the training room.

"This is gonna be epic!" Miko exclaimed as she head banged to the imaginary beat in her head. "The zoo stadium is having a feeding show! We get to feed the animals OURSELVES! That's awesome!"

Raf just chuckled "I'm just glad it will be only be us going. You would think having such a large family would make outings like this more fun, but we usually wind up having to rush through the best parts, because the stress gets to the parents so soon. I might be able to enjoy myself a little more this time since we aren't in such a large group."

Bumblebee gave a few sympathetic and agreeing chirps and beeps as his holoform fizzled to life beside the young boy. It had shortly cropped bleach blond hair with brunette, almost black tips on the forefront of his head. His clothes were casual. A bright yellow short sleeved t-shirt with black detailing along the shoulders and down his back, and a red autobot insignia on his left sleeve. His worn jeans were a dark wash that were faded to almost white in some places. He looked to be around 14 or 15 years old with bright almost electric blue colored eyes. 'Bee's human shape raised his hand to ruffle the young male's wild, spiky hair in a comforting gesture.

In Optimus's cab, Jack sat in the passenger seat, gazing out the window at the dry, expansive, desert scenery. The powerful rumble of the autobot leader's engine emitted gentle vibrations that helped to relieve some of the ever present tension in the teen's body. A faint smile graced his features as he took in the peaceful setting. It wasn't too often that Jack really let himself relax. His childhood had integrated this into him. Having lost his father at the tender age of six, he had to learn to take on more responsibility in order to help his mother in retaining the home that they had worked so hard in obtaining. He took on all of the house work. This helped him to build and refine the durable and patient demeanor that helped him through the tough years after losing a parent. Friends became something he simply could not have for a while. Having no time to socialize with others his age, he dedicated all of his free time searching and striving for ways to earn more money that could be used to help pay the bills. Even after things settled down a bit, he was reluctant to spend any more time than necessary with his school peers. On top of them just simply being too immature, he had become wary of others. Being on a maturity level so much higher than the other children had left him open for ridicule, and he was often bullied by them, developing a deep distrust early on for anyone and everyone, apart from his mother, for fear of being hurt again. That only changed when he met the autobots. Though, it did take some time for that trust to form, and was still very fragile.

As Optimus followed Bumblebee across the barren stretch of road to the next town over, he activated his holoform. His human form had chessnut hair that curled ever so slightly around his ears, and he looked to be in his mid thirties, early forties. He wore a light weight, dull silver jacket with red and blue flame detailing along the cuffs and bottom hem, and light wash jeans that gave him a rough and tough look, but still holding an air of dignity and authority.

His perception split from his original view of the road to the form that now sat in his driver's seat. He spared a glance at Jack, and the peaceful and contented expression on his current passenger's face. Over the past several months since the children had come into contact with the autobots, Jack had proved his maturity and determination to the protection of not only himself, but that of his young peers. The teen would always put another's comfort and needs above his one, even going so far as to risk his own safety to ensure, or at least give a chance to provide the opportunity of safety to another. His courage when he detonated Airachnid's ship was proof of that. The autobot leader also felt more at ease when in young Jack's presence. He felt he could trust Jack with more than that he could entrust to even some of his fellow troops. It just gave him a poignant feeling to see that he would not relax more often. Optimus felt he deserved it.

The town of Hare Springs was slowly coming onto view, and the small convoy made its way through the narrow streets until they reached the nature park that held the zoo. They moved into the parking lot, and made their way to a pair of parking spots that the autobots' alt modes would stay in for the next few hours. Exiting the vehicles in disguise, the small group(hohlforms included of course) moved to the main entrance of the zoo.

"So where will we be headed to first? I kinda wanted to see the nocturnal creatures." Bumblebee stated as they passed the main gate. (since 'Bee is in his holoform, he can use his 'human' vocal cords)

Jack grabbed a map from the information kiosk, scanning it. "I think that can be arranged. Miko's feeding show isn't until four, and that is one of the closest exhibits to the main gate. We can work our way from the front to the back. The zoo stadium is towards the rear of the park, so we'll be able to see a lot of the exhibits before we reach there." Jack said.

As the small group made their way to the nocturnal exhibit, they came to a small, walled off grotto with a sign out front that stated 'desert specialists.'

Raf's face split into a thin smile as he turned to his companions with a pleading expression. "Would it be ok to check out this exhibit before we see the nocturnal one? I never got to with my family, and I want to know what animals they have to see."

Optimus gave him an understanding smile. "I have no qualms with doing so. Anyone else?" He enquired to the rest of the group. They all shook their heads, and Raf giggled as he made his way down the path that lead to the bottom of the bowl-like area.

There were a series of cages along the perimeter of the grotto; all filled with various desert climate dwellers. His eyes scanned over the many cages and landed on one that held a fairly large fox (about the size of a medium sized dog) with rust colored legs and grizzled gray back fur. A female zookeeper in what looked like safari attire was crouched next to the fence of the cage, feeding small craps of raw chicken to the canine. (I know foxes aren't canines, but I don't know what else to call them) Glancing up at Raf's slow approach, her face lit up with a warm smile. "Would you care to pet him, young man? He's friendly, if a bit shy, and not wild born, so he is more comfortable around humans."

Raf's smile widened as he nodded eagerly. "Can I? That would be so cool!" he exclaimed, looking down at the fluffy animal that stared back at him enquiringly.

The woman's face held a gentle smile as she nodded and undid the lock. The small creature moved forward hesitantly, smelling the air around the boy before nuzzling its head to his upper leg. He knelt down until he was at eye level with the timid, furry animal, and run his hand from its head, down the spine, and over the thick, fluffy tail. The canine-like creature sniffed at Raf's torso and up under his chin.

It was at this point that all present were startled from the adorable, endearing scene by a surprised shriek.

Miko had soon lost interest in the fox, and opted to further explore the rest of the cages in the grotto. She had wandered over to an open terrarium that held around a dozen or so lizards. As it turned out, they were frilled-neck lizards, and as she was lowering her hand into the terrarium, they had simultaneously flared their signature collars with a loud hiss, thus, resulting in her sudden vocal outburst.

The fox, completely terrified by the loud call, and reacting on instinct, opened its jaws in a 'yip!' and sank its sharp teeth into the closest living thing, which just so happened to be Raf's arm. In response to the sudden pain that now fared in his appendage, he let loose a surprised squeak of his own.

The next thing anyone knew, Bumblebee had Raf curled protectively in his arms while Jack had the fox pinned to the ground, muzzle clamped in one hand, front paws restrained in the other, body straddled by his legs, all in the space of a seconds.

Optimus did a quick assessment of the situation, and decided that he would be most useful with Miko. He made his way over to the, now skittish girl, and made sure there was no injury. Discovering none, he guided her back to the rest of their group.

Coming out of her slight shock, the zookeeper skittered over to Jack and promptly removed him from the small animal. A quiet whimper escaped the fox's now unclamped jaw. "I'm so sorry! He is startled by loud noises and gets skittish and jumpy. He honestly meant no harm."

Jack gave a nod of understanding. "Lots of animals are."

The fox, after the heavy pressure was relieved form its body, rose to its paws, and trotted over to circle the keeper's legs. Its ears lay close to its skull and tail tucked tightly between its legs, and looked to the small group with big eyes and bowed head.

Raf, once 'Bee deemed him ok, walked over to kneel by the timid animal. Presenting his palm once again to it, he made soft comfort noises. "Shhhh, its ok, I'm not mad." Looking between the hand and his face, the fox moved forward to nuzzle the presented hand, and with a bright smile, Raf scratched behind its ears.

"I believe that all has been settled. Let us move on to our next destination." Optimus stated as he glanced at the fidgeting Miko. Raf looked back at the autobot leader with a wide grin and brisk nod, and slowly got up so as to not further scare the timid fox. They made their way through the rest of the exhibit before exiting the grotto.

"Now that we got that experience under our belts, lets head on over to the nocturnal exhibit! I heard that they have a panther!" 'Bee exclaimed as they made their way to said exhibit.

The 'Nocturnal Nightmare' (as the sign stated) was in a large enclosed dome. As they made their way through, Optimus was enthralled at the differences in features that the night creatures possessed in comparison to the animals that were alert in the day time hours.

They worked their way through the dark and shadowy corridors, peering into the black light lit terrariums. They saw many different creatures, from large snakes and spiders (Miko absolutely freaked) to bats, raccoons and owls. "There it is! The panther cage! I wonder if we'll get to see it." Raf exclaimed as they neared the end of the section. The cage consisted of a large pane of glass separating the viewers from the jungle-like setting, glowing faintly in a shade of purple from the black light overhead. Pacing down a fallen tree trunk, the large feline gracefully descended onto the lowest part of the exhibit. Seeming not to notice the approaching and observing spectators. Jack watched the linth form leap from the base of the tree trunk to a patch of clear floor near the glass pane, utterly fascinated by its confident movements.

As the rest of the group stood fixated on the beautiful form of the large panther, Raf made his way to the information display. "This says that this panther was born wild and raised for around a year with its mother before she was shot by poachers, and he was taken to be sold on the black market. Apparently PETA had busted that branch and he was injured in the process. The wounds were too bad for him to be released into the wild again, so here he is. It says that if it weren't for the injuries, he wound have been able to go back. He is pretty old for a panther. They usually only live around ten to twenty years, but this one is twenty-six. I feel kind of sorry for him. Not being able to go back to the place you grew up in, and all that, must have been tough."

Jack got a sad look on his face. He knew how hard it was to lose a parent. He may not have had to give up his home, but he still understood part of the pain that it must have felt. He placed his hand on the glass, and sent an apologetic look in the large animal's direction. Almost as if it felt his stare, the panther glanced directly at him and laid its ears down close to its skull before it padded over to a place in front if the young ebon haired boy. The two sets of eyes met and held each other's gaze.

The others stared on in astonishment and awe at the sight of the two figures. Now that the large was closer to the small group, they see haw large this animal really was. The elegant feline's head came up to Jack's shoulder, easily inclining its head to confidently hold the young boy's gaze.

With a powerful rumble of a purr, the cat's ears came to an upright, alert position, giving the ebon feline a regal and noble pose before bowing its head and retreating into the dense foliage.

A small pleased smile graced Jack's features before it dissolved into a sad frown. He had seen the pain in the feline's features, but had also seen the healed scars. It was happy here, but it held a distant hope for… Something. He didn't know what, he couldn't name it. He knew the oldest pain in the powerful cat's scars. This brought Jack's thoughts to his own past. There was a slight pain that he had been unable to heal at his own pace, but was proud of his accomplishments that he was able achieve due to his own mental strength. A more determined smile surfaced as he turned to his friends.

"Dude! You just had, like, a connection with that cat! That's totally wicked!" Miko exclaimed, the faces around the group mirroring Miko's own to different degrees.

"It just gave off a vibe. Something I felt I could connect to. Nothing special."Jack explained as he went to examine the information display.

"Jack, you should take pride in the connection you made. You may never know how much something you find you can do will affect not only you, but others around you. Now, let us move on. I personally wish to view a few more of the other exhibits before the zoo stadium show." Optimus stated before moving to continue through the rest of the building.

They exited the nocturnal exhibit and continued on to the next set of animal exhibits. The time passed quickly, and they had made their way to the zoo stadium. When they got to the designated area for the show, there were only about two dozen people sitting in the stands. Bumblebee looked around in speculation "uh… This has got to be the smallest 'stadium' I have ever laid optics on."

Jack had to agree. The stadium floor was only about thirty feet in diameter. Not exactly stadium worthy, but more like an outdoor stage. The stands only went four rows up, but he guessed that being such a small town, it didn't need much more.

They made their way to a set of available seats towards the front as zoo keepers brought out the variety of animals that the guests would get the opportunity to feed. The first of the animals was a large grizzly bear, its burly shape hobbling after its keeper. It was soon followed by a raccoon, lynx, boa constrictor, a very small alligator, parrot, and finally, the very same panther that the small group had seen earlier that day.

"Dude! That's your panther! You should totally go try and feed it when they start the show!" Miko exclaimed excitedly.

"_My_ panther? I hardly think that sharing a moment with it makes it _mine_, but I think I will. I mean, how many people can say they helped feed a full grown panther?" Jack replied as he looked with interest at the large ebon feline.

The zoo keepers worked their way from the smallest of the assorted animals to the largest, asking anyone in the audience if they wanted to come and pet the animal that was being shown at the time.

They had worked their way methodically up until they got to the two largest animals, the grizzly bear and the panther. When they called to see who wanted to come and try to feed the large bear, Jack was mildly surprised that no one in the audience volunteered. No one, except Miko. She waved her hand excitedly and bounced slightly in her seat. With a kind smile, the zoo keeper gestured for the young Japanese girl to come to the stadium floor.

She quickly made her way down to the bear's handler who handed her a slice of raw beef. She got a wide grin on her face as she turned to present the food to the enormous creature. The burly bear snorted loudly before lunging for the piece of meat, lightly snagging on the tip of Miko's finger before she could pull away. She yelped and popped her index finger into her mouth to sooth the slight pain that sprung from the digit. The zoo keeper was by her in an instant. "Are you OK?"

He pulled the finger out and he examined the deep slit down the pad of her finger. It spanned from tip to first knuckle joint, a stream of blood leaking from the wound.

A wide grin split her face. "It's totally cool! I'm sure he didn't mean to hurt me, it was just an accident." She exclaimed good naturedly as she scratched the large bear behind one of its found, fluffy ears. The keeper nodded with a smile before removing a small first aid kit from his pocket to dress her tiny wound. She stood slowly before turning to head back to her seat.

Optimus had checked her minute injury himself before allowing her to return to her seat. The zoo keeper had moved onto the final animal, the large ebony panther. A small smile graced Jack's features as he rose to his hand once the keeper called for volunteers to feed the enormous feline.

He worked his way over to the center of the floor. He turned to look at the black cat, and out of the corner of his eye he noticed a young boy move nervously towards the huge feline. Jack turned with as calming a smile he could produce, and offered his hand to him. With a grateful smile, the boy accepted the out stretched hand as the older male guided him to the ebon panther's side. A small hesitant hand reached up to stroke down the broad and rippling muscles that were packed under the taught, fur-clad skin. The huge span of skin marred by four claw marks that stretched from its shoulder blades down to the bend in its forelegs.

The panther slowly turned its massive head to lock gazes once again with Jack. The ebon feline's other shoulder was marked with similar scars as its twin, and He had to wonder where they came from…

Optimus was not familiar with animal expressions, but he was very sure that the main emotion he could define on the feline's face was… Respect. He made a mental note to look into the intelligence levels of the other of earth's indigenous life forms.

The young boy backed off a bit as the ebon feline turned until it was face to face with Jack. It began a the low rumble deep in its chest again as it reared up on its hinged legs, and placed its large paws on the ebon haired teen's shoulders.

He looked mildly startled for a moment, but it soon disappeared into as brave a face he could muster, staring intently into the black panther's eyes.

No one moved. All was silent as the ebon cat seemed to peer into Jack's very soul.

The boy didn't know how or why, but it was almost as if he _knew_ that it was testing him, measuring him, judging him. He could almost feel it probing his inner-most thoughts and emotions, seeing if he was… What? If he was strong enough, pure enough… For what? He didn't know, and he didn't have much time to contemplate this as the enormous cat closed its slitted eyes and nodded. It then reopened them and inclined its head in the slightest as if it were asking permission. He didn't know what for, but he had a feeling in the center of his chest, a reassuring pressure, pushing him to except whatever it was that this being had to offer.

Coming to his final decision, Jack nodded in the affirmative before straitening his back and trying to prepare himself for what he instinctually knew would hurt, and closed his eyes as the panther nodded once more in confirmation.

The ebon feline then threw its head back, and with a heart-wrenching roar, it raked its claws down Jack's arms, easily ripping through the thin fabric, deep into the soft skin and muscle tissues. Its long sharp claws tearing deep grooves from his shoulders to his elbows, leaving scars similar to its own.

A pained grunt was the only indication that Jack even felt the tear of his flesh. His face remaining in its stony expression, eyes closed, mouth set in a firm line of determination, his stance still as powerful and dignified as before, he opened his eyes to see the cat.

Backing up about four feet, the panther locked gazes once again with the teen before dipping its head low to the ground in what looked to be a bow. Jack bent at the hip and returned the respectful gesture as he murmured a quiet "Thank you" and returned to his previous position. The panther, bringing its head back up, nodded before turning and heading out the side entrance to the stadium that it entered in.

No one moved, or even breathed through the spectacle, too entranced at the intense aura that hung in the air.

And then the moment ended, and everything bursting into a tame sort of chaos. Optimus and 'Bee along with one of the zoo keepers rushed forward to Jack as two others took off after the recently departed panther. All Jack could do as they dressed his new wounds, was stare at the exit that the panther had used, wondering what had truly transpired between him and the animal. Jack heard nothing, didn't feel the hands as they cleaned the blood from his arms and wrapped them in gauze, nor did he hear the multiple times that Optimus tried to gain his attention.

"…ck!... ack!... Jack... Jackson! Look at me!" Optimus exclaimed as he tried to turn the teen's head to face him.

Jack blinked a few times as he seemed to regain his senses. "What? I… I'm sorry. I … I guess I spaced out there for a moment. What were you saying?"

Optimus's features held more than a little concern as Jack finally seemed to acknowledge his presence. "Jackson, are you alright?"

The teen's gaze flitted back to the exit for a second before returning to Optimus.

"I think so…" It surprised the ebon haired boy at how strong his voice was, even though he felt like collapsing were he stood. He wasn't physically tired, though he just supported the weight of a full grown panther for who knows how long, but was mentally so.

Optimus had narrowed his eyes speculatively, then nodded before wrapping his arm around the teen's shoulders and guiding him to the group of friends that had at some point gathered at the main entrance.

They made their way back through the park and stopped at the food court to pick up some lunch for the three teens. Miko and Raf had picked up some hotdogs and a couple bags of chips, while Jack was perfectly fine with a salad and a bag of sunflower seeds. He had had enough of junk food working at the KO Drive thru, thank you very much. The small anchorage sat at a round table near a fountain surrounded by a flock of crows and other black birds.

As they were eating, a few got up the nerve to approach the group. They had finished off the main parts of their meals, and were snacking on the sides that each had chosen.

Raf got up and slowly went to sit on the side of the fountain, and was practically swarmed by the flock of birds. Most staying at his feet, while a few landed on his arms and shoulders. With a giggle, Miko took out her phone and got a pic of him to show 'Bulk back at Base. Not wanting to be left out of the fun, she rushed over to sit next to the young genius, disturbing the flock temporarily before settling back on both their shoulders.

"Jack, why don't you go join them?" Optimus suggested.

A small smile lit his face as Jack nodded and casually strolled over to take a place next to Raf, his appearance not nearly as startling to the birds as Miko's was, and a few of then settled themselves on his shoulders as well, one even going so far as to take up residence on top of his head. The other two giggled as the girl took another picture.

Jack still had around half a bag of his seeds left, and decided to reward to birds for being so entertaining. Hand delving deep into the bag, he brought out a generous fist full before tossing it into the small sea black feathered bodies. They all went nuts, the few of the children excitedly flying into the fray, leaving a few small scratches on the children in their outburst. Jack continued to toss fist-fulls of seeds into the flock of birds until his bag was empty, and gathered back onto the teens (the same one reclaiming its previous post on Jack's head). The others laughed again, and the ebon haired tee showed off a playful pout as he gave the two younger teens a half-hearted glare.

They played with the birds for a while more before departing the zoo and making the trip back to Base. Apart from Jack's scars, they had a very pleasant day in Optimus's opinion, and was not surprised in the least when the oldest teen, which he carried in his cab, had fallen asleep not five minutes into the ride.

**Autobot Base**

Ratchet was astounded with the samples of Airachnid's venom that he had obtained. It wasn't that the cocktail of chemicals dissolved what it touched; it _absorbed _it, and then mutated it into a different cocktail completely. Discovering this interesting fact, he divided the sample into smaller vials that he could test different substances in to see if he could find one that would counteract the venom's deadly sting, or even better, neutralize it.

He had added several different substances to each new vial, and saw that it didn't stop mutating, even after it had changed into a new cocktail. Apparently there were strange nanites in the acidic venom that converted some substances into the best combinations of the provided materials.

Then a random thought hit him. What if the nanites could be removed from the harmful chemicals that it was administered in… Then put into a different substance combination to help neutralize the original chemical cocktail? A smile flew across his face as he set to work on the self appointed task.

**-three hour later-**

The medibot's surprises simply would not stop that day. It had taken some work, but he managed to filter out the nanites into a large vial. It was amazing. The microscopic machines had produced their own substance that allowed them to become more mobile. He placed a cap on the vial to prevent them from escaping. HE didn't need the little bots flying around the base. There was no telling what they would do. While so generated liquid for movement, others used gasses. He had to admit, Airachnid was one clever bot… err, con… Whatever.

He was brought out of his musings by the proximity alarm. HE placed the large vial of nanites on the examination berth while he checked the scanners.

"Special agent Fowler, what honor do I owe this pleasure?" asked the medibot with a hint of good-natured sarcasm.

"Well, looky here, the doc bot is finally gaining a sense of humor. Anyway, where's Prime? The higher ups need some paper work done on the cover-up of the spider-bot's crash site." The Native American asked as he made his way down the steps to the ground floor.

"I'm sorry Agent Fowler, but Optimus, along with Bumblebee and the children have gone out to observe the other native species of your planet at a 'zoo'." The medibot informed him as he went to the main terminal. "In fact, it looks as though you are in luck. They are just now arriving back."

The Autobot leader and scout pulled into the base a few moments later. The minute Jack stepped out of Optimus, Ratchet was on him. "Jack! What in the name of the Allspark happened?"He exclaimed as he gripped one of the onyx haired teen's arms to further examine it.

"It's nothing, Ratch. Really! It doesn't even hurt any more. It stopped bleeding on the way back!" the oldest teen tried (and failed) to console to frantic medic.

The red and white bot sputtered. "Get into med bay! I need to check the other two!"

Raf and Miko Flashed looks of nervous apprehension to each other before the girl took off in a random direction. Raf, not as spontaneous as the exchange student, looked at Ratchet with a wary smile. "It's Ok Ratch. I've been taken care of. Optimus an 'Bee did all that was needed." All through the reassurance, the medibot was inspecting the small bite on the young genius's arm, muttering missing something in the dressing of the wound.

"Even so, it would be wise to follow Jack so I can properly inspect it. Now, where is Miko? I saw the bandage on her hand."

Said girl was nowhere to be seen. That is until Optimus spotted movement behind the main console, and silently pointed out as such to the medic. With a grateful nod, the red and white bot quietly made his way to said console before unceremoniously plucking the girl from behind, and proceeding to the med bay to examine her as well.

"If this is how you all come back from this kind of outing, I don't think it would be wise to go back unless absolutely necessary. Why would humans go to view such dangerous creatures? They could have done far worse!" The red and white medibot ranted as he stepped into his area of the base.

"It's not that bad Ratch! Really! We're fine! Scratches and bites happen, and we are more than capable of healing over time. " Jack tried to reassure the medibot that was now scooping all three of the children into his arms to deposit them onto the large berth.

Not seeming to hear the statement, the CMO set to inspecting and redressing all of the children's wounds. As Ratchet worked, Raf turned to see the large vial of half silver-blue liquid and half white fog. He glanced up at the large bot attending to his friends to see if he was paying attention before he walked over to the vial. It was about as big as his torso. He knelt down to further inspect the container and its contents.

"Hay, Ratch! What's in this Vial?" The boy genius enquired.

The red/white bot glanced over as he was rewrapping on of Jack's arms. "That is a high concentration of nanobots that I extracted from the venom we retrieved from Airachnid's crash site."

"Hmmm… Why is it both a liquid and a gas? Shouldn't it be a powder?" The young genius inquired as he continued to examine the container.

"It has to do with the substances they secrete naturally, if you would be so kind as to bring it to me please?"

"Sure Ratch." As the boy did as such, Miko came up to the vial that was now at the red/white bot's side."It looks so cool! What does it actually do? I mean, shouldn't it dissolving the glass and polymer compound cap? " The inquisitive girl looked around when there was no answer, all of them looking at her with different levels of curiosity and disbelief. "What? I may be a silly fan girl, but that doesn't mean I don't listen or am stupid. I saw what that stuff did to Arcee."

The looks of confution cleared a bit, and Ratchet explained. "The chemicals that were given to the nanites were what did the destruction. The nanites themselves take the microscopic bases of each provided substance and takes the most useful of each, then combines them to get all affects that are needed."

"Oh," Was her brilliant response. "Well that makes more sense."

Ratchet finished up his examinations and took the children in one hand and the vial in to the other. He began to bend down to deposit the kids on the ground, and then everything seemed to go into slow motion. Ratchet's hand was still several yards from the ground, and Miko, having lost her balance in the shift, grabed for Jack and Raf. Then to try to regain his own balance Raf grabbed for one of the giant curled digits. Jack, going on instinct, tried to keep Miko and Jack from hitting the ground first and flipped so he was under her. Ratchet tried to do three things at once. He had to keep hold of Raf and the vial, and stop Miko and Jack from what could be an injury inflicting collision with the ground. HE could only do two as it seemed. He dropped the vial and caught the falling teens and gad them on the ground with Raf in a split second. The Vial fell and smashed onto the floor not three feet from the children, splashing them with the silvery-blue liquid, and the nanites infused fog filling their lungs.

The only thing the kids could do was look to each other in confusion before falling unconscious.

**Jack's POV**

My world spun, the colors and shapes of the med bay were blurring into a strange, acid trippy world that seemed to deify all logic. Whatever had been in that vile that Ratchet had dropped was slowly expanding its territory from my back and head to my torso and upper thighs, leaving all the nerves in the skin that it toughed oversensitive and on edge, sending wave after wave of white hot heat and pain to what felt like my very soul. My vision was slowly being consumed by a wave of black, and as my consciousness abed, I turned and saw the looks of pain and confusion on Raf and Miko's faces. The strange silvery-blue substance of Ratchet's spattered on their clothing hair. Oh, it hurt. The waves of heat had intensified tenfold, and as I lost the last of my consciousness, I barely registered that the claw marks on my upper arms seemed to hurt more than the rest of my chemical covered body. The last thought to cross my mind as I blacked out was 'I hope Arcee won't be too worried when she gets back.'


	2. Transformations

**Chapter 2**

**Jack's POV**

I was in a sea of black, and I couldn't remember much. I felt like I was floating.

'What happened? ... Oh, that's right. That chemical. Slag! Were the others alright? Am I alright?'

The light floaty feeling was slowly replaced by a faint tingling sensation in my skin, and as my mind started making sense of what the rest of my body was experiencing, I opened my eyes to a bright room. The med bay. I was in Ratchet's med bay. 'How long was I out?'

I sat up and looked around and saw the infamous field medic using a sort of vacuum-like device to sole up the silver-blue liquid from Raf's hair and skin.

I guess I wasn't out that long,' I though as I spotted Miko about ten feet to my left, the silver-blue substance gone from her body. 'Well, at least the burning sensation is gone.' A light tingle covering my back, scalp, and spine was the only indication that it was ever there at all.

"Good, your awake, how are you feeling?" Ratchet asked, turning to face me.

"Well, not too bad considering I just passed out, but I think I'll be OK, unless you think that something in that stuff will do something to hurt us…" I had a bit of worry knotting up in my stomach at the thought that this may hurt the other two.

"I don't think that there will be any lasting effects. They were simply nanites. I don't believe that there will be any pain or changes in your bio and/or physical make-up. In fact, even if some of the nanites did manage to get into your internal systems, I don't think that have any effects on you at all." The CMO reassured as he ran a scan over Miko. "There are still traces of nanites on all three of you, but they should wash off after a while." He explained as he then ran the scanner over Raf.

There was a groan as I watched Miko stir into wakefulness.

"Rise and shine. How you feelin'?" I asked as she turned to look at me from her reclined position on the berth.

"Dude, it feels like I'm covered in ants. My skin is crawling." She complained.

"Well, Ratch says that it'll go away eventually." I said as I gave a reassuring nod.

"Indeed, the nanites should wash off with your soaps and water."

Not thirty seconds later, we all heard Raf start to stir. "Uh… Why am I so itchy?" he asked blurrily and Miko tried (and failed) to hide her giggles.

"Sorry Raf, gonna have to wait 'till you get home to make it stop. Though I think I'm startin' to get used to it." She stated as she looked over her hands at the slight gloss that covered them.

Curious, I looked at my own, and saw that they also had the strange glossy shine on them. I rubbed my fingers together and felt a silky smooth texture on and around the flexible digits.

I was roused from my musings at the sound of heavy foot falls. Glancing around to the door, my eyes fell on the approaching forms of the rest of the bots.

"Jack, I heard what happened. You OK?" Arcee asked as she stepped to the examination berth.

"Sure 'Cee, I'm fine, though I think I'd like to head home now. Today was exhausting."

"Sure thing partner." She replied before turning to Ratchet for confirmation.

At his nod, the cycle-bot moved me off the berth, and we headed out of base.

We were about half way home when 'Cee finally spoke up.

"So, how'd your day go? "

"Well, we got to see quite a few animals, Raf got to play with a fox, Miko fed a bear, and I got to see a panther up close and personal."

"Wow, does sound like quite the day… So, what's up with the bandages on your arms?" She asked with a hint of worry.

"I got a few scratches, no big deal."

"Where did you get them?"

"Does it matter?" She always overreacts when I get hurt. She's so much like my mom it's scary sometimes.

"… Where did you get them?" She asked again with a little more force.

I let out a sigh "the panther."

"How bad are they?" She asked more softly.

"I told you, they're not too bad. They don't even hurt any more. Besides, I think that chemical sealed them a bit more-"

"Wait, what chemical?" she asked.

Scrap. "It's nothing; Ratchet says that it won't have any effects on us anyway."

"What chemical?" came her forceful tone again.

"Ratchet had the nanite substance. Miko, Raf, and I were in one hand while the vial of the stuff was in the other. When Miko lost her balance, it was the vial or Miko. So he had the three of us on the ground and the vial broke over us. We got cleaned up and he said we could go home. End of story."

Arcee was quite for the rest of the trip home. We entered the garage and I got off. I was about to enter the house when I heard her talk again.

"You sure you're OK?"

I felt a small smile pull at my lips. "Yeah, I'm sure. Night 'Cee."

"Night Jack."

I made it to my room, and started undressing for my shower. I peeled off my bandages to reveal the deep cuts. I was mildly surprised to see that the chemical had penetrated my cuts and instead of scabs covering the wounds, a thin film of gloss was holding the sides of each tear together. 'Huh… Well that's definitely interesting.'

I hopped in the shower and reveled in the fantastic heat. I felt like my entire being was being cleansed.

What I didn't see was that the glossy substance wasn't being washed off, but adsorbed.

After I finished washing up, I dried off and got into a comfortable pair of sweats and a tank top. I didn't register that the gloss was still plastered over my cuts.

The bed looked very good just then, and quickly made myself comfortable. As I slept, my dreams were filled with aurora-like wisps of glowing color, beautiful harmonizing tones, and a voice that chanted over and over 'may the spirit of understanding guide you, and embrace what you have always had buried deep within you.'

**Jasper 3****rd**** POV**

Jack woke with a start as the sun just peaked over the horizon.

A contented hum escaped his lips as he stretched luxuriously. He hadn't felt so comfortable and relaxed in a very long time. He got out of bed and made his way to the window that was letting in the bright morning sunshine. He opened it, leaned out, and took a deep refreshing breath of the crisp, chilled air. It was exhilarating. He had never been so relived it was summer time.

He didn't know why, but he though the air smelled different. There was more depth to it. He wrote it off as his imagination and decided to get dressed and go out for a walk. He donned his usual attire, and stet off down the road.

Everything was bathed in the crisp dawn sun light as he made his way down the street. Then it hit him. As a car drove by, he was possessed by a violent coughing fit. The smell of the fumes engulfed him. He collapsed onto his knees, trying to cover his face with his hands to help block the horrendous odor, his mind going fuzzy and not responding well in his efforts to breathe.

The car was a good distance from him before he could make a coherent thought. He slowly was relived of the nauseous fumes and able to get a cleaner breath in. It was a good think he didn't get too far from home, and made it back without passing another vehicle.

He shut the door and was quickly bombarded by the, not as repulsive, but still fairly overwhelming sent of breakfast being made.

"Jack? Is that you?" June shouted from the kitchen.

"Y-yeah mom, it's me!" Jack answered as clearly as he could, through a plugged nose.

"Would you mind picking up some milk when you come home from work today?" she asked as he leaned against the front door.

"S-sure mom!" he hollered. 'Scrap! I completely forgot I had to work today!'

"I'm gonna head down there early to help open up! I'll see you later!" I said as I bolted past her to the garage.

"But I'm making breakfast! Won't you take some at least?"

"Uh, yeah." He stammered as he grabbed for a couple slices of toast (the only things that were NOT made of organic tofu) and an apple. "Thanks! Bye mom!" he yelled from his ten speed that he was already peddling down the drive way.

"Bye honey!" the nurse shouted back with a confused look on her face. 'What's got him so wound up?' she thought as she turned back to preparing the rest of her own breakfast.

Jack was more prep aired for the smells of the passing cars, and even though he felt like passing out from the overload, he managed to fight it until he got to the KO Drive thru. The ebon haired teen parked his bike on the wall, and headed in the back door. His shift didn't start for another hour, but he could clock in and relive whoever did the night shift that night early so they could go home. That plan went out the window as soon as he stepped into the building. The smells hit him like Megatron's fist. Everything in his mind exploded in the mixture of grease, salt, steam and all the other scents that he never paid much attention to. Until now that is. He doubled over, trying to grab for anything to help him keep up-right, and only managed to disturb a container of kitchen utensils, sending them clattering to the ground.

Becka was startled out of her thoughts by the sudden noise. "Keith? Was that you?" she asked as she walked back into the kitchen from the register counter.

Keith came into the view from the drive thru knick. "No, it came from the back."

Both teens cautiously moved to where they thought the noise had come from, and were startled to say the least when they found the unconscious form of Jack Darby on the ground. They were at his side in a moment.

They both knew Jack from school, and he always seemed so secluded.

"Becka, take his phone and call his mom, I heard that she is a nurse and will probably be able to help him more than an ambulance. HE looks like he just fainted, but I can't tell for sure."

The girl nodded and scrolled through the contacts for Jack's mom. When she found it, she quickly dialed the number and waited as it rung.

After about two rings, she picked up"Yes, honey?"

"Mrs. Darby, Jack fainted here at work, can you come and make sure he is OK?"

June froze, then her nurse instincts kicked in and she began giving instructions to the young teen."Position him on his back, make sure his legs are elevated, and see if anything is blocking his air way. I'll be there in a few minutes."

"OK." Was all she said and they both hung up their phones. "She's on her way." Becka stated as she grabbed one of Jack's arms to flip him over. When June got there, she was at her son's side in an instant. She did a quick once over, and declared him to be fine."Would you two help me get him to the car? I want to get him home."

It took some doing, but they finally managed to get him into the back seat of her white Toyota.

She thanked the two and headed back to the house.

Jack woke up just as she pulled into the drive way. "Jack! Are you OK? What happened?"

"Uhh… My head throbbing. Who hit me?"

"Jack, you collapsed in the restaurant. One of your colleges called me on your cell. What happened?"

"I…" Jack really didn't want to tell his mom that he had been overwhelmed by the terrible smells of fast food."… I got a bit light headed; I guess I should have eaten more. Sorry to worry you. I'm gonna go for a walk. Kay?" The fumes of the car were starting to get to him again. He had to get out of there.

"Oh, no you're not, you just passed out! You are going to get something to eat, then you're going to get a ride to the base were Ratchet can keep an eye on you while I'm at work. Got it? I'm calling him now."

"Mom, please! I promise I won't be gone long, and I won't overexert myself. I just need to go get some fresher air."

He could see her resolve weakening. With a put-upon sigh, she conceded, but he had to take an apple and water, and was NOT to be gone for more than ten minutes.

Grabbing the requested items, the ebon haired teen bolted down the street. He kept running until he got to the little park that he used to go to when he was small. It was old and mainly unused, as far as he knew, and was pretty close to a patch of trees. He usually used the swings, but they were too close to the, now boiling street, and opted for the small alcove by the tiny park. Choosing the highest and sturdiest one, he began to climb. He didn't stop until he couldn't climb higher without risking breaking branches.

The bark felt wonderful on his skin. The light breeze wafting through the branches toyed at his hair and clothes, and left him wanting to jump into it and take off. The wind came rolling over off the desert, holding the light sent of drying plants and the heavy heat of the sun-baked sand. The relaxed peace that he had woken up with that morning was back, and he just wanted to bask in it. Primus, it seemed, had other ideas.

Just as the teen was about to dose off, he heard an engine pull up to the bank of trees, followed closely by the sound of Arcee's voice."Jack, You up there?"

He debated on whether to answer or ignore her, but decided on the previous. "Yeah, I'm here."

"What're you doing up there?"

"… Relaxing."

"Well, June sent me to get you. Are you OK?"

"Yeah. Nothing' to worry about."

Arcee rolled forward a bit. "Jack, are you sure? Your mom sounded concerned."

"… "

He knew he should tell her. She was his partner. She needed to know if something was wrong so they could fix it if need be… But, this was probably nothing. He could handle it himself. The Autobots had enough to worry about with the need for more energon and fighting the Decepticons. No, they definitely have enough to worry about without him adding to it.

"No 'Cee. I'm fine. Let's just head up to base."

He silently climbed out of the tree and onto Arcee.

He froze. 'Well that's new.' He felt her… legitimately _felt _her presence. It was like he could feel her spark beat, the energon pumping through her systems, like he was holding her very spark in his hands… And then he saw it. He saw her spark through her armor, it was a soft, ice blue, glowing orb radiating a strong and determined aura. He reached out with his mind, and tried to stroke it. It felt soft and warm, little wisps of light like misty smoke flowed from the bright sphere, clinging and twirling with everything they came into contact with… It was phenomenal!

"Jack?" Arcee's worried tone broke through the excitement of his discovery.

"Yes?" his own voice in a pleasant, relaxed tone.

That got her attention. 'Huh, maybe I should let him climb trees more often…' "Nothing."

The ride back was comfortably silent. Jack reveling in his new found ability and Arcee glad her partner was so happy.

**Autobot Base 3****rd**** POV**

The missile silo was comfortably quiet for its occupants. Ratchet working diligently in the med bay, Bulk' and 'Bee were watching Raf beat Miko at a racing game, Arcee leant up by the ground bridge dozing, and Optimus idly scanning over police reports for any Decepticon activity. Unlike the rest of team Prime, however, Jack was not at all comfortable. There was something going on in his insides, and it was driving him insane. It felt as if certain parts of his body were trying to expand, uncurl, and spread. His skin felt terribly tight, and the discovery of his new abilities, (heightened senses mainly) however cool they were, made it just a bit less durable. Especially his 'sixth sense' as he dubbed it. Feeling and seeing the life forces of everything that came into range was cool, but not the side effects. If he was close enough, he could feel their emotions, and in a group of more than three, it got overwhelming very quickly.

It had been a week and a half since the nanites fiasco, and after he had fainted at work, things just escalated. He found that the longer he spent with others, the more uncomfortable was. His senses went wild, trying to absorb all that they were, and to be truthful, it had started to get painful.

That is why he was where he was now, on top of a large supply crate at the farthest end of the main area of base. He was trying so hard to block out everyone, using the meditation techniques that he learned early on to relive stress, reaching down into his calm reserve that he had accumulated for occasions such as this. But no matter how far he delved, he couldn't fully block out their conflicting emotions. (For those that don't know, conflicting signals to the brain is what causes motion sickness)

He was so deep into one of his sessions, that he didn't notice the large form of Optimus Prime approach him.

"Jack?"The ebon haired teen nearly jumped out of his overly tight skin at the sudden intrusion of his despite efforts. "Is something wrong? You have been very distant these last few days."

It was concerning to the red and blue bot. The boy seemed to be falling into himself again, like he was when he first med the Autobots. It had taken a fair amount of time to draw the reserved teen out into the open, and now it seemed that something was undoing all of their progress with him.

"No, I'm absolutely fine! Never better!" the boy said with an obviously fake chipper tone. It was said too quickly, a bit of an edge to it, and it was blankly obvious that he was uncomfortable, and started shifting as if something were bothering him. He knew that Jack would never come right out and say what that something was, so the Autobot leader did the one thing that Ratchet always did to get to confess his problems.

"Jackson, you are shifting as if uncomfortable, your tone is forced, and are secluding yourself. You have either done something you consider wrong, or are experiencing some sort of discomfort or pain. I do not wish seem intrusive, but I am highly concerned." He didn't really think that the teen had done anything wrong, but if he brought it up, it would hopefully play on his morals enough to coerce the boy into defending himself, and possibly reveal what it was that was bothering him. The clearly uncomfortable shifting had mildly increased, and when the boy didn't answer he decided to prod a little more. "Jack, please tell me, and if you feel you cannot confide in me, please ease my conscious some, and go see Ratchet. Your shifting is not of guilt. I can plainly see that. I simply wish for you to trust me."

The reaction of Jack's senses weren't nearly as bad when he was only around one individual, especially when said individual is a cybertronian. He didn't want to be a burden to the bot with his problems, but seeing as (at least with Optimus) his discomfort was noticeable, and weighing on the leader's conscious, it would be better to tell him and get it over with. He had a feeling that the sensations were not going to go away.

With a deep sigh, the teen looked at his feet before responding. "I… I'm… Changing."

Well that wasn't the answer he was expecting. "Would you elaborate?"

Jack was quiet for a moment. "My… My senses have gotten a lot sharper than they were, to the point that it's overwhelming to be around others. I smell all of them their change in hormones, emotional chemicals, and their movements never stop. The noises that they make when they move… I hear everything, and…"

"You are overwhelmed, and thus need to distance yourself."

Jack nodded "that's not all. I can feel them I can sense their souls, the wisps of life that you all produce I can hear the songs that your sparks sing and the closer I am to you the more I can feel your emotions."

"You can sense my spark" Optimus said in wonder.

"I can sense the life forces of all of you… Each of you is very different. You wisps are different colors and each soul sings a different song."

The boy paused.

"Is there anything else that you…" Jack didn't hear the rest of what Optimus said, because suddenly the tight feeling in his body intensified and he felt like screaming. His body began morphing and warping. He grew to the point that his clothes ripped and black fur began to sprout over his skin. He felt long appendages extend from his back and the base of his spine. The process was bordering on agony as he felt himself become something else. Something large and powerful; just when he thought it would never end, it stopped. All traces of discomfort were gone. He opened his eyes and looked into the confused and awe filled optics of Optimus.

The large bot hesitantly brought a servo to the huge creature that could only be Jack. He was a panther. A huge winged panther with dark grey/blue eyes, and slowly levered himself up onto his paws. It was mildly startling when the ebon creature opened its jaws and spoke. "O-Optimus? Wh-what happened?'

**Optimus POV**

The boy was huge; if standing he would easily reach a good eight feet, and his wings doubled his visual size. 'I started when he spoke, asking me "what happened?" "I do not know; Jack, are you still in pain?" The huge skull shook in the negative before its rear was promptly planted on the floor; eyes staring dumbfounded at his forepaws.

He looked so lost. I had to do something; so, I bent and brought the distraught creature to my chassis, its head nuzzling under my chin.

I couldn't help but feel like a small youngling who brought home a turbo fox to my creator. I run my servo down his spine and was rewarded with a deep rumbling par. I was entranced by the vibrators traveling through to my spark, and was utterly awed by the creature in my servos, each new breath intensifying the rumble before decreasing again.

I was startled out of my trance by a familiar voice

"By the Allspark… Optimus, what… What is that?" Ratchet's voice rang quietly from behind me. I turned so the medic could have a better view of the huge ebon feline in my servos. "This, my old friend is Jack."

His free plates were a study in shock and awe. "How is that possible Jack?" Jack isn't." "Human, I know, but I was here, I watched him change with my own optics. I am not absolutely positive, but I believe that may have started a few days prior to this event. I had confronted Jack not twenty minutes before because he was secluding himself from the team."

"Did you find out why?"

"Yes, he stated he was experiencing an intense increase reception. Enough to cause him extensive discomfort, possibly even pain, when around the rest of us."

"Bring him to my med bay." The red and white bot said curtly before turning to said location and walking off.

I followed slowly, enjoying the steady purr that resonated from Jack's chest, trying to have as much time to relish in the boy's current attentions before I had to relinquish him into the medibot's care.

I made it into Ratchet's domain and deposited the only feline onto a medical berth, though he was reluctant to let go. "Do not worry Jack. I will not go anywhere, unless Ratchet says otherwise."

The massive head nodded before turning to observe the white and red bot that was calibrating a scanner to run over him.

"What do you think happened?" Jack asked as the medibot plugged the scanner into the main frame after scanning him.

Ratchet looked startled at Jack's ability to talk in his new form, but quickly recovered. "I'm glad that you can still communicate with us early even though your current form might have suggested otherwise." The only thing that I can think that might have had any part in changing you was the manic composition that you came in contact with. I will have to do more research in order to be sure, though. Optimus said that you were secluding yourself before the transformation due to the discomfort you were experiencing from the sensory overload when around the others. I have read that there are certain chemicals and medicines that can help you tolerate them, and happen to have the ingredients for a scent deadener, if you were to wait for me to make it if you want?"

The feline's ears perked up at the last part. Even I could figure that it was most likely the scents that were mainly ever whelming the boy. So he may be able to better tolerate the other's presence more with it.

The ebon skull bobbed in the positive. I would like that a lot. Thank you."

As the medibot turned to his work desk, Jack looked to me uncertainly before looking at his forepaws. "I'm, uh… sorry that I kind of broke down you back there."

"Jacks on, there is no need for apology. It was pleasant and enduring that you would allow yourself to show me such tender emotions in your time of need. I am honored that you trust me enough to do so." I assured as I ran a servo down the ebon felines back. The rumbling purr started up again, and the boy turned panther nuzzled back against my chassis.

"Your presence is much more pleasant and calming that the others. I wonder why that is… "Jack whispered as his wings unfurled and wrapped around my abdomen. The fur and features were very soft against my armor, as a warm, light sparked feeling engulfed me, and I continued to run my servos down the enormous feline's spine.

I don't know how long we stayed like that, but I was brought out of the sensations by a servo on my shoulder.

I turned my helm slightly so as not to disturb Jack, to see Ratchet with a vial of… Something.

"Jack, it's ready."

Said boy was startled at the sound of the gruff bot's voice, and pulled himself abruptly from my grip, his features a study in embarrassment.

I exchanged a look with the medibot. "Is there something wrong?" Ratchet asked.

"No, you just surprised me… So that will help deaden my senses?" The boy turned panther inquired to change the subject.

The medic decided to go along with it"No, just your sense of smell, but it should make being around others more tolerable. All you have to do is drink this and it should start to take effect immediately."

Jack nodded and contorted to one of mild disgust at the vial's contents. "What's in it anyway? I can see the chunks floating from here!"

"The instructions state that it may be best not to tell you, but I can assure you that it is nothing too bad." Ratchet stated as he poured the contents into a shallow bowl that Jack could drink from.

The ebon cat bent to sniff at the substance before taking a tongue full."How much?"

"You only need enough to coat you throat. From there the vapors that come from back up your esophagus will be breathed into brachial tubes and through your lungs. You should try as much as possible to breathe through your nasal passages."

The enormous head bobbed in understanding then bent to take a couple more tongues full.

When he was done he tilted his head back and inhaled deeply. A pleased panther's smile cracked his face before nodding to Ratchet with a 'thank you'.

"Alright, before you go, I would like to take a sample of your blood. Would you mind?"

With Jack's nod, Ratchet bent with a syringe. "There, you're free to go. I would suggest telling the rest of the team when you go. No need for ill feelings between comrades."

With the dismissal, Jack leapt from the berth, landing with sudo-grace. It was obvious that he had a natural balance and agility, but had yet to get acquainted with it. I couldn't help but wonder if the boy needed help with confronting the others in his new form, or if he would try to get out of seeing them at all.

**3****rd**** POV**

Optimus and Jack walked into the main rec. area, but stopped short as the boy headed towards the other end of the room.

"Jack?"

"Look, I don't want to go see them. I'll probably scare them…" The panther stated as he tried to avoid the large bot's optics.

"If you would prefer me to inform them of the circumstances, and prepare them for you, I can. In fact, I think that may be the best way to go about this. If you wish to stay here, that would prove helpful, but I must ask you not to leave. You are unfamiliar with your body, and do not know if you will change back." Jack looked as if he were about to protest, but then thought better if it and nodded. The boy turned panther padded over to a large crate in a corner and lay down, placing his massive head on his equally massive paws. Optimus then turned and walked to the area of the rec. room that held the rest of his team.

"Everyone," he bellowed in a commanding tone "there has been an occurrence with Jack that needs to be brought to your attention." This had all of the room's occupant's attention fixed on the Autobot leader.

"What do you mean? What's wrong with Jack?" Arcee enquired with the faintest undertone of concern. She had become more protective of her junior partner over the last few weeks. Taking him 'under her wing' as the human saying went.

"Is he hurt?" Raf asked. He had developed a strong, brotherly bond with the older teen. He may have had another older brother, but Jack always seemed to be there for him when he felt down, and wanted to be there for the ebon haired teen when he was in a time of need.

A stream of enquiring, worried beeps, whirrs, and clicks flowed from Bumblebee, and Bulkhead and Miko pitched their own forms of agreement.

"Jack has experienced a morph in his body structure due to the nanite incident according to Ratchet, though he is not positive. The change from his human form to what he is now is very drastic, and needs as much emotional support as we can give him."

"How drastic do you mean? What does he look like now?" Arcee asked a bit skeptically. Agreeing mummers echoed around the room.

Optimus sighed lightly, a habit he had picked up from their human partners. "He is a very large feline with feathered wings."

The team exchanged disbelieving looks before turning back to their leader."That's not possible. How could a bunch of nanites turn Jack into a cat? That's like, totally sci-fi!" Miko stated in an amused tone.

"Show us." Arcee said with an air of finality.

The large red and blue bot nodded before gesturing the others to follow him. They all froze at the sight of the enormous, winged panther that lay on an equally large supply crate which was dwarfed by his form.

At the presence of his friends, the massive creature lifted his head and levered himself up into a sitting position, ears laid flat against his skull that was bowed in uncertainty. His tail curled around his rear paws, and wings clamped tightly to his body, further revealing his discomfort and nervousness.

"Slag! He's huge! You sure that's him?" Bulkhead exclaimed.

Optimus nodded "Yes, I was with him when he changed. This is Jack, and he needs us right now."

Arcee hesitantly approached the massive new form of her partner. So as not to intimidate her more than what he already was, he carefully crawled off the crate to better face her. His head easily reached her chest plates and met her optics squarely.

"Jack?" the one word held many questions.

"Yeah Arcee, it's me, and I'm as alright as I can be."

It was startling for the rest of team Prime to hear Jack's voice come from the powerful looking jaws of the winged panther. The silence was palpable in the room as the news sank in.

"_Dude! _ What's it like to be an awesome, powerful animal?"

The massive skull tilted to the side in amusement "Well, Let's just say that I'm glad that Ratchet gave me that sent deadener. You may not stink, but I wasn't used to having such a sensitive nose. It was overwhelming most the time. I hope that explains my avoidance from you guys."

There was another round of agreeing mummers before Raf came forward."Can… Can I tough your wings?"

A warm panther's smile graced his face "Sure, I don't mind." He said as he lay down on the ground and unfolded his expansive, feathered wings. The young genius ran his hands down the large, black feathers, feeling how soft and strong they were.

Now wanting to be left out, Miko joined him, and soon the rest of the team was running servos and hands alike over every available surface. Arcee's digits were probing over the joints where his wings met his back and nearly had a spark failure when a deep, rumbling, groan-ish growl escaped from the massive feline's clamped maw. It was a strange sound, and she couldn't quite make out what emotions were hidden in its wavelengths, and then it hit her. She recognized that sound.

**Jack's POV**

It was near unbearable. If I had known that their touches would do this to me, I wouldn't have let Raf touch me at all, let alone my wings. Every gentle touch, every curious prod sent wave after wave of pleasure through me. The only thing that kept me from moaning and growling in ecstasy was the every constant thought that these were my friends that were touching me. I was going to politely ask them to stop, but as I turned my head to do so my voice caught in my throat. I had seen Raf's face, that look that could only be made by a child in their happiest moments. The innocent joy in his features held back any request to stop. I couldn't take that away from him. The look on his face and the emotions he emitted were too much, so he tried to ignore the arousing touches as best he could until they had satisfied their curiosity. 'It shouldn't be too much longer' I thought, right before the pleasure intensified tenfold as a nimble servo ran around the connecting joints to my wings. I couldn't stop the aroused and pleasure filled groan that ripped from my throat, but I was thankful that I was able to at least mildly muffle it as I clamped jaws, and then my heart skipped a beat when I heard Arcee's worried tone.

**3****rd**** OPV**

"Jack?" She felt him flinch slightly at her voice. She hadn't noticed before now, but he was avidly displaying all the signs. They were the signs she tried so hard to hide when she got a wash from the local car wash. She knew Jack didn't have the heart to ask them to stop, so she did the only thing she could. "Hay Jack, why don't we go out and see how fast you can get now?" The boy turned panther hesitated for a split second, but then caught on to her plan.

"Sure 'Cee. That sounds great! Is it alright for us to go out?" he directed the last part to Optimus, and at his nod, Jack got to his Paws and quickly followed Arcee out of base. The moment his pads touched the hot pavement, he took off, the wind cutting through his fur, flowing under his wings and around his body as his paws created a steady, almost silent thunder. It was a sweet relief from the awkward ecstasy elicited from his friend's ignorantly innocent hands and servos.

Arcee drove along beside him reaching speeds of eighty and ninety miles per hour. Driving fast was always exhilarating, but having the onyx form rumble beside her was a completely mew sensation. The under tone of challenge in his booming roar that he unleashed was clear in her audios and she gave an excepting rev of her engine. They both took off at a faster pace, setting an exhilarating tempo down the deserted road.

Seeing a car in the far distance, both beast and machine darted off the street and across the desert landscape, never breaking stride or slowing.

Then on impulse, Jack unfurled his wings, felt the wind tug at his primaries and instinct took over.

All Arcee could do was watch as the huge expanse of onyx feathers spread, and then beat down in one pump of the great muscles, then two, then finally, Jack was off the ground, into the air, soaring with instinctual ease. It was awe inspiring, watching the massive form of her partner fly in a primal dance on the thermals and down drafts as if he had done so all his life. Each wing beat confident and precise, performing intricate and elaborate combinations of moves that she had only seen practiced seekers execute. As she watched, she couldn't help but wish to be up there with him.

The boy turned panther was in absolute paradise. The wind in his ears and under his powerful wings was phenomenal. He felt his control increase with each wing beat and mid air twirl, then it hit him. It wasn't enough to break his previous concentration, but it gained his attention. A feeling of longing awe that brushed against his consciousness, so strong it was impossible to ignore. He knew who's it was. They were of his grounded partner. He felt her awe at his new found talents, and wished to join in his fantastical discovery of himself, and he thought he could grant that wish. So with a graceful dive, he back winged to a soft landing not twenty feet in front of the cycle-bot.

"Care to find out what it's like to be the passenger?" he asked with an inquisitive tilt of his massive skull.

**Autobot Base**

Soon after Jack and Arcee had left, the rest of team Prime had returned to their previous activities, though of thought of the boy turned panther never left their thoughts.

It had occurred to Raf that if it was the nanites that triggered the change,,, and he and Miko had also come into contact with the microscopic devices… Then why was it that neither had experienced what Jack did? But what if they had… Just to a less intense degree… No two people were the same… Maybe Jack was more in tune with how he normally functioned, and could tell when changes occurred. The boy genius never really paid much attention to himself… Maybe if he focused on what he was feeling… As he did so, a few clicks that he associated with Bumblebee's door wings adjusting rang in his ears. 'Huh. I can usually only hear those when I'm on his shoulder… And he's easily twenty feet away…'

His thoughts were interrupted by a pained grunt from the girl next to him. "What's wrong?" the boy inquired.

"It's nothing! Just… It's nothing. I'll be right back."

Bulkhead, who was watching them play from behind, had a worried look on his face plates. He quickly followed the obviously discomforted girl down the hall. "Are you sure you're alright?"

The Japanese girl put up a grin. "Yeah. It's probably just my time of the month. Everything is tight and feels funny, but I'll be fine!" she had had to explain to her guardian about her monthly visits not too long after she had met him. He was mature enough to understand, and often helped her out in avoiding conversations with the other occupants (cybertronian and human alike) of the base when the time came.

"… But, you not due to start again for another two weeks. Maybe we should-"

He was cut off by a stream of persistently suppressed whimpers and moans. The weapon specialist froze at the spectacle that was before him.

His charge was changing. Her small, lean body was growing, her feature morphing and reconfiguring, her body becoming a strange mash of a bear and a lizard. Her long tail curling in a tight coil around her half fur/scale covered form. She was shaking lightly as her large round head turned to face her guardian, but almost immediately ceased as she began to look over her new form.

The corners of her mouth curved upwards and her eyes got a bright gleam. "This is AWSOME!"

Bulkhead could only watch as she stood on her hind legs and took on a fierce pose. Her lips curled back to reveal razor-sharp teeth and fangs, and let loose a sharp hiss. The loose skin on her neck came up, circling her head in a wide collar. She was huge, almost eye to optic with her guardian, her entire frame bulky and muscle Leiden. With an amused snort, she lowered back down onto all fours. "I gotta show Raf!" she exclaimed as she made to head back to the main area.

Snapping out of his trance, 'Bulk shouted after her. "Wait! We should give them a bit of warning before you just waltz in! What if you scare them and they attack you?"

This gave the girl pause. (Heh, I made a funny) "Oh… Well, when you put it that way…"

"I'll com them." The green bot said as he moved a servo to his helm and contacted the rest of his team in an open line.

/Hay guys? You know how Jack turned into a panther?/

/Yeah…/

/Yes/

/Of course/

/Why? /

This was said all at the same time.

/Well… I think something very similar has happened to Miko…/

The com was silent for a moment before Ratchet spoke /bring her to my med bay. /

/Will do. / The weapon specialist replied before turning to his charge who was staring at him.

"Well?"

"I'm taking you to the med bay; they'll all meat us there."

She nodded before turning to said med bay.

Ratchet was working with something in his work area as the two of them walked in. "Miko, If you would sit on one of the berths, I will be with you shortly." He informed with his back still facing them.

Bumblebee came in with Raf on his shoulder, followed closely by Optimus.

"Miko?" the boy genius questioned when the berth came into view, though the girl turned bear was still eclipsed by her bulky guardian.

"I'm over here!"

The green bot stepped out of the way to grant his team a view of his charge.

"Whoa! Miko, you're massive! Bigger than Jack is!" It was true, she easily had a full foot or two on the boy turned panther. "I wonder what I'll look like."

*What makes you think that you'll change too?* 'Bee asked curiously.

"Well. Ratch said that it was probably the nanite substance that changed Jack, and Miko and I were both in contact with it, too. So since Miko has now changed, it seems logical to assume that I'll also change in some way."

"I have to agree," Ratchet interjected "he analysis makes sense, and I believe it would be wise to keep him here for the change/"

Bumblebee nodded in confirmation, and turned at the sound of metal ped steps.

"What'd we miss?" Arcee asked as she stepped around the large form of her leader, Jack following.

"Oh, nothing much, just a growth spurt and a change in style." Miko replied nonchalantly.

Jack leapt up onto the berth next to the girl's new larger form. "Wow, just how many growth spurts did I miss. Last time I checked you were a head _shorter _than me, not one taller." The onyx feline joked.

"Well, you've got flight, I've got brawn." The two continued to exchange banter as the others listened in, excluding the medic still working diligently behind them.

Raf had stopped paying attention though. His focus had turned to the strange tight sensation in has skin that had developed in the last hour. The feeling intensified and he had a hard time holding back the yelp he felt in his throat, and then his own transformation began.

He didn't get much bigger, but he was still large. He morphed and changed until the plush fur, long tail, and equally long ears stopped growing.

Bumblebee's distressed tones cut through the haze that had formed in his mind. *Raf!_ RAF!_*

"Uhh… Well, at least it doesn't hurt anymore." The boy turned fox groaned from his new position cradled in his guardian's servos.

"Ahh!" Miko cooed "You're so cut! You look like a mix of a rabbit and a fox, but like us, you're huge!"

Bumblebee had to agree. His charge was quite adorable. Very fluffy, legs long as if built for speed, and with his tail and long ears tucked close, he looked so vulnerable. He held the furry creature to his chassis, and rumbled, twittered, and chirped a string of coos as he ran a servo down the length of his spine.

"Well, don't hog him 'Bee! Set him with us so we can get a better look!" the girl turned bear complained as the yellow bot turned a half hearted glare at her before placing the tiny (to him) creature on the med berth. The fox was easily size of a bull mastiff, but less bulky.

"We all have two animals," The boy genius pointed out, "two animals that we have come in contact with." Remembering their trip to the zoo.

"What makes you say that?" Bulkhead asked skeptically.

"Jack was scratched by a black panther and some black birds, Miko was bitten by a bear and those lizards, and I was hit by a fox and my rabbit." He explained.

"You have a rabbit?" Miko asked.

"Yeah, I've raised it for a while now, but back on topic. I don't know how we got so big, but the nanite substance that we all came in contact with initiated the transformation process."

"I think your assumption is accurate Rafael, and I have a batch of altered nanites that I think will either reverse the transformation completely or… "The medic trailed off.

"Or what, Ratch?" Arcee asked.

"Well… It's difficult to explain. The best explanation I can think of would be a form of control over your transformations. You might have a mental control over the changes, though I'm not sure to what extent."

"Well, that ought to make it easier to fit back in with regular life." Jack said with more than a hint of relief.

"The nanites got into your blood stream through your cuts, and thus, were given better access to you DNA. So, in order to get the command nanites into each of you, I have to inject them. From the injection, they should settle in your brains and respond to your brain waves as commands to follow, and send their own signals to the other nanites to react to." The medic explained as he held up three small syringes.

"Does it matter where you inject us?" Raf asked with a hint of apprehension. He honestly didn't want a shot into his brain.

"No, as long as it gets into your blood stream, they should be able to follow the programming I installed to your brain. I can inject you anywhere there is an accessible blood line."

The boy nodded as a wave of relief washed over him.

Soon all three of them were injected with the command nanites, and were chatting about random topics before bumblebee noticed that the kids weren't reverting back to their human forms. "Ratch? How long is it supposed to take? Raf's parents will start to get worried soon"

"I'm not sure. It may be a while before they have enough control over the new nanites to fully transform back, but I'm not completely sure."

"I can call my parents to ask if I can stay for the night. Its summer and we have no school until August. They should be fine with it." Raf reassured his guardian.

"Scrap! I forgot about mom! She's totally going to freak!" Jack exclaimed.

"I'm going to freak about what?"


	3. coping

**Chemical Rebound Chapter 3**

"I'm gonna freak about what?" June asked as she strolled on to the med bay, not having any view of the berth that the transformed children sat on.

"Uh, hi Mrs. Darby!" Bulkhead exclaimed nervously, "when did you get here?"

"Optimus bridged me in. Now, what exactly am I going to freak over?"

"Well-" Ratchet cut off the reply before the green bot could say more.

"The children have come into contact with a form altering type of nanites that managed to enter their blood streams a week ago. They have now been transformed into various mixtures of different creatures, and will be un able to revert back until the command nanites that I injected them with take position in their brains, and get accustomed to their brain waves."

"But they will be able to change back?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm fairly positive that they will, and also have an untold amount of control over their transformations."

"May I see them?" she asked after a slight pause. The medibot lowered a servo to the ground for her, and then moved the nurse to the berth. June wasn't too sure how she felt when she saw the assortment of creatures before her. There was definitely surprised, and a hint of fear at how big they were, but the foremost emotion in her mind was awe. The black winged cat that approached her was easily the size of a full grown Clydesdale, and its head towered a full yard above her own. She was retched from her shock at the sound of her only son's voice flowing from the massive feline's maw. "Hi mom, are you ok?" As always, his tones were soft and comforting; nourishing and cultivating a sense calm that he had perfected over the past decade to relax her when she came home stressed from work.

"Am I ok? What about you? I knew you would be taller than me one day, but this is ridiculous." She replied with a hint of humor as her gaze strayed to the other two. She was fairly confident the smallest of them was Raf, though still as big as a very large bullmastiff, and Miko, the largest, was as big (if not bigger) as an elephant.

"We're fine Mrs. D! Ratch said we'll be able to change back eventually, so no big!" Miko reassured. It was quite humorous to hear her high pitched voice come from the huge mouth of her new form.

"Yeah Mrs. Darby, we're fine. We may not know exactly we will, but in the mean time we can see what our new bodies can do." Raf said as he jumped off the berth that was easily twice his height.

"Well, you won't be going outside. Being as it is, I'd rather be able to monitor you all. You can go to the training room. It's built for roughhousing." Ratchet informed as he made his way in that direction.

They all congregated in the training room, each going over what they thought their new abilities would be. Raf was _very _fast, easily out pacing the other two on the Autobot sized treadmill. He would easily be able to keep up with 'Bee in a race; plus was much more agile due to his smaller size.

Miko was quite the opposite. Like the boy genius, she took after her guardian. She was all muscle. Jaws that were able to lever and crush just about anything she was given. (including the servo of her guardian who tried to catch her long tail before she whirled around and clamped on his extended appendage. She is still apologizing.) She could push and pull the full weight of all the bots (save Optimus), and had proved so with a series of tug-o-wars. (It took her a while to beat Bulkhead.)

Jack had participated when he was asked, but stared pretty secluded most of the time.

He was feeling a bit overwhelmed again from being in such close quarters with so many, but at least it wasn't with his sense of smell this time, though the deadener had worn off around an hour ago. The scents weren't that bad in this form. No, he was trying to block out the different mixture of emotions he was bombarded with from his friends. The different levels of joy, excitement, and slight apprehension were enough to cause mild overloads on his mind and leave a growing nauseous feeling in his gut.

When he had tried to discreetly leave, the medibot had requested that he remain with the rest of them to continue monitoring. Not wanting to argue, he had reluctantly taken up residence in a distant corner of the room, clawing and ripping at a training dummy in an effort to help block out the wave of emotions that weren't his own.

He nearly jumped out of his fur-clad skin when the deep baritone of Optimus Prime sounded no more than a few feet behind him. "Jack, are you alright?"

"I… I'm fine. Nothing I can't deal with. No need to worry big guy." Jack half heartedly reassured as he made to walk to another corner. That is until he felt a large appendage on his wing.

"Jackson, I would find it easier to not worry if you were to share your troubles. You informed me before you changed that you were overwhelmed in the presence of others. Are you still feeling so?"

The onyx feline's large gray-blue eyes glanced at the bot with indecisive hesitance, "I've gotten kind of used to people coming to me for someone to talk to, though I'm not use why. It feels strange that anyone would want to know about me. Why do you?" UP until he met Miko, Raf, and the bots, most everyone avoided him. Well, except the oldest kids in the high school who hung out at the park to study. The bookies tended to like him a bit, but he had lost touch with them after they had moved to collage. So he distanced himself from the majority of his peers, because he wasn't comfortable with their misunderstanding stares. He couldn't find enjoyment in the things they did, and they had shunned him for it. Then he met his new friends, and had opened up a bit, though he tried to keep his inner opinions to himself for fear of more ridicule.

"I ask because I care, Jack. We have been given a taste of who you are and who you can be, and I do not wish myself or others to be deprived of your refreshing persona via a problem you feel is unworthy of our efforts, or fear of being shunned for nonconformity." Optimus answered with reassuring tones. "Please answer me. Are you feeling pressured by our presence?"

The ebon cat glanced at the ground by the large bot's peds. He remained silent for a moment before the red and blue bot knelt in front of him and took his chin between the thumb and pointer digits to direct his gaze to the bot's optics. "Jackson?"

Their emotions are tolerable for a while, but… it is starting to fray my nerves a bit. I can handle it though."

To be truthful, the emotions themselves were not what were uncomfortable, but just receiving those emotions and having his own run through his head was enough to make him feel mildly… the best way to describe it would be motion sick, though he would never say so out loud.

Optimus looked like he was going to say more, but was interrupted by the hulking form of Miko slamming into his back, just barely stopping himself from falling on top of the feline in front of him.

"Whoa! Opt! I'm so sorry, are you guys OK?" Miko exclaimed in-between light pants.

Using the distraction for what it was, the onyx feline slipped away from the other two and padded quickly to his original corner. He was becoming disoriented from the constant exposure to the foreign emotions and went into a meditative state in order to try and counter it.

He focused on his center, pulling at the calm reserve that he had cultivated since he was young. He was so deep in his own rituals that he didn't notice the cease of all activities around the room.

When Jack had delved into his calm reserve, it spilled from him to the other occupants of the rom. It took Optimus a moment to realize that the sudden calm sensation that was pushed onto his senses was not his own, and sought out the source. He scanned the room to find the rest of his team and two of the children held similar looks of confusion, but Jack, sitting head bowed and eyes closed in the farthest corner, was seemingly immune (or the most effected ) to the emotional wave.

A deep, booming purr erupted from the ebon cat's chest, and the apprehension at the foreign sensation of emotion dissolved into nothing as the calm engulfed his spark.

Then, he stopped, and the sensation was gone, though the calm was still there. The room was now very quiet and ringing with silence.

"What… What was that?" Raf asked, shattering the fragile silence.

Optimus shared a look with his medic before both turned to the panther sitting in the corner, eyes now open and… 'Is that fear on his face..?' the red and blue bot thought as he opened a com link with Ratchet.

/Do you suppose that this was Jack's doing? / The medic asked.

/I do. Do you think this is an after effect of his exposure to the nanites? /

/No. He must have had this ability before. He may have been born with it. He did always try to distance himself. The injection of the command nanites must have intensified his natural abilities. /

That made sense. If he felt distrust or apprehension in the presence of those he knew when he was young, he might have been much more reluctant to be near them, thus, his self seclusion and the continuation long after due to habit or natural development of his abilities.

/Would you be alright if I were to take him else were? / The Autobot leader asked.

/I think that might be for the best. /

"Jack, please come with me." Optimus said in his most calming tones as he headed out of the room.

He led the large feline out if the base to the top of the silo. The moon was just coming up off the horizon, the sun setting in the opposite direction, painting the sky a dark rainbow of colors.

**Jack's POV**

I was a bit apprehensive of the conversation that was bound to happen, but all negative feelings fled at the sight of the gorgeous scene before me. I have always loved the sunsets of the desert. They always displayed the most vivid colors I have ever seen. The deep shades almost like liquid to my eyes. The stars that spotted the great sea of the sky were like chips of ice, and the light wisps of the life forces that inhabited the landscape glowed faintly against the expansive desert scenery. It was simply breath-taking.

After a few moments I was pulled from my musings. "What is occupying your thoughts, young one?" The deep baritone of the Autobot leader seemed to accentuate the surreal and tranquil mood that surrounded them both.

"How much do you see?"

When he didn't answer and I felt his confusion, I continued in a soft wistful tone. "Do you see the life that surrounds us, even though the land seems barren? Can you feel the soft waves that each life form emits? Do you hear the whispers of tones or the echoes that bounce off everything it touches? Can you feel the life that simply thrives despite the ever present promise of the silence of death? How much do you see, because your song is so beautifully intricate, your waves firm and confident, your wisps of life bright and venturing? What have you seen and experienced that has tampered your very being into an aurora as spectacular as the scene that we stand at now."

The confusion had lifted mostly, and was replaced with awe. I could feel his mind working for an answer, and his gaze, who had been roving over the scenery, had settled on me, his optics filled with a curious wonder.

I suddenly felt an intense wave of ice ran through my veins. I missed anything he might have said, because I felt the fur on my skin receding back, and my form shrinking.

It didn't hurt, but it was definitely strange. By the time the transformation was finished, I was crouched on the ground… As naked as the day I was born, though I still had my wings and tail.

I moved my (still fairly large) wings around my prone form, tail curled closely around my legs.

"Uh… I think I would like to go inside now. It's kind of cold out here."

**Later 3****rd**** POV**

Well, as it turned out, all three turned into their new 'half' forms at the same time. June had taken the liberty to head back to the house to pick up some replacement coverings for them, and bring plenty of bedding. (Because neither to the younger humans wanted to be seen by their parents) So for the time being, they were making themselves comfortable in the base.

"Judging from the new data that I have acquired, you should all be back in your human forms with complete control of your transformations in around twenty-four hours." Ratchet stated as he came out of the med bay.

"That's a relief." Jack stated.

He was about to settle into the make-shift bed that they had set up when he spotted a spot of light on the floor right behind Arcee. It twitched and twirled with each of the blue and pink bot's miniscule movements, and he had the biggest urge to try and catch it. So without giving it a second thought, he started prowling along the edge of the room, always keeping the fluttering light in view. He didn't notice his partner watching him with a confused expression on her face plates. He got within pouncing distance and crouched, the tip of his tail twitching faintly and cat ears forward and alert. His hips swayed unconscientiously as he prepared to leap, and just as he was about to make his move, the cycle-bot shifted to one side, causing the little light to dart away. All of Jack's senses flared as he sprung after the reflection.

Recognizing what it was her partner was doing and never missing a beat, Arcee angled her plating to control were the little glimmer went, and watched with immense amusement as Jack tore after the illusive fluttering glow, body staying close to the ground and never getting less than a few inches behind the fast, shinning spot.

The scuffling sounds he made echoed across the room, and soon attracted the attention of the rest of its occupants. The boy was so enthralled with his current, self appointed task that he wasn't even aware of the increase in amusement emanating off of his friends. Arcee directed him with the little reflection from one end of the room to the other, never allowing her partner to touch the tiny fleck of light.

June was delighted that her son had become so comfortable around other besides herself that he allowed himself to play (albeit like a cat) in their presence. About half an hour later, Jack was sprawled out on the ground, sides heaving and extra appendages lax. A very faint giggle slipped from his lips and he glanced at the rest of the room's occupants. "What are you all looking at? Haven't any of you ever chased a little light around the room before?" his voice was dripping with good natured sarcasm. He rolled onto his stomach and got to his feet, then made his way back to his bed.

Miko got a mischievous grin on her face, and then went about her own stalking; only her pray was a bit livelier than a reflection. Jack's tail was poking off the end of the bed pallet, swaying lightly in (to her) a taunting motion. She didn't take nearly as long in her stalking process, being a lot less careful and was much clumsier, but still got the basic form from instinct. When the ebon appendage went into a lull, she pounced, but was disappointed when she landed on nothing but the edge of the pallet. She turned a playful glare on the owner of her appointed pray and saw his wry grin.

The girl lunged at the older teen, and with him still in his playful mood, he accepted the challenge and they lightheartedly wrestled on the large padded platform. The girl tried to pin her larger peer with her new found strength, while the boy remained elusive to her endeavors. Jack, in order to keep the game going, leapt from the pallet and darted around the legs of his autonomous spectators. Miko took off after him and tried to corral her older friend into a corner where she could pin him down.

The boy saw what she was doing a bit too late to avoid being cornered, but with a burst of inspiration, he ran as fast as he could at the wall and leapt at it when he was about five feet from it, all four of his motor appendages making contact six feet up said wall before he pushed off, and opened his wings at the same time, taking him right over his friend's head. His wings beat powerfully as he gained height and landed gracefully on one of the support beams that created natural rock shelves just wide enough for him to gain a stable perch.

"No fair! Who said you get to fly?" Miko complained as she crossed her arms with an irritated pout.

"Well, if you don't use your super strength, I won't use my wings!" Jack countered from his high perch.

"Who said I was gonna use my strength?" Miko asked.

"Who said you weren't?"

"Quit stalling and let's get back to the fun!"

"But this _is _fun!"

"No it's not! Fun is pinning you to the ground!"

"To you maybe, but I think taunting you from here suits me just fine!"

"Just get down here!"

Jack got a mischievous glint in his eyes before he complied, albeit not the way Miko was expecting. He dove from his perch and dive bombed her, grabbing the tip of her tail (making her yelp in surprise) then letting go at the lowest point in his dive as he adjusted the angle of his wings to redirect his trajectory and bring him back up to land on another perch across the room.

"Dude! Hands off the tail!" She exclaimed exasperated.

"Oh? You gonna make me?" Jack taunted.

He dive bombed her again and swiped at her ear, but this time she caught his tail, swinging him a bit, trying to ground him, but only managing to redirect his route before she lost her grip. His new flight path sent him strait at Optimus, who had turned from the play fight momentarily to comment to Ratchet, and was startled by a flurry of wing beats sounding close to his audio receptors and a weight settling on his shoulder. He only just stopped himself from reacting violently to the sudden intrusion to his space.

"Whoa! Sorry Optimus." Jack exclaimed.

"It is fine Jack. Perhaps it would be wise to settle your selves for sleep. It is late."

Jack got a sad expression, but nodded and glided down to the soft bed substitute, though Miko definitely had objections to the plan. "But we just started! Can't we go a bit longer?"

"No, I think he's right. I could go for a bit of shut-eye right about now."

Miko pouted, but complied and the three teens gathered on the padded mat. Miko settled on the side closest to the TV and flipped it on to a scary movie. Jack gave her a disapproving look. "What? It's a slumber party. We gotta watch a horror. It's like, tradition."

Jack shook his head with a small smile before he settled down on the farthest end with Raf between them. Bulkhead dimmed the lights, and Miko was out like a light not half way through the film, though the same couldn't be said about Raf and Jack. The older teen had delved into his calm reserve again, but he was adding to his reserve instead of using it so it didn't spread to his friends. He found out long ago that he could save his calm feelings (and/or any other emotion he may need to draw on) into reserves deep in his subconscious. He never knew just how much time he would need to have stored in them for the next time he needed it, so he gathered when he could.

The youngest teen was trying to ignore the film as best he could, but the sudden screams and foreboding sounds emanating from the TV were seeping into his mind, setting him on edge and making it impossible to relax. The movie soon ended, but the fear never left the boy. All of the bots had moved to their rooms for recharge, and had left the teens to sleep (or in Raf's case, stew in his own terror).

Jack, who had just come out of his meditative state to get some sleep, finally picked up on his younger friend's frightened state. "Raf? You OK?" he whispered.

The boy jumped slightly at the older boy's voice and stared at him with owlish eyes full of fear.

Jack couldn't leave his friend like that, not scared out of his mind like he was. "Come here Raf." He coaxed and pulled his younger friend closer. He whispered a quiet stream of comforting coos and drew some of his newly stored calm out, and funneled it to the boy as he stroked the skin behind his large, velvety ears. It didn't take long for the older teen to squash enough of the fear in the younger boy's mind for him to drift off into a fitful sleep, curled into a tight ball in the curve if Jack's body. He continued for a moment more before he followed his comforted friend into the blissful realm of dreams.


	4. squabbles

**Chapter 4**

**Autobot Base 3****rd**

It had been a full week since the teens had gain control of their forms, and they had been using that time to get better acquainted to them. Even though there beast forms tended to be the most interesting, they also proved to be the most cumbersome, so they tried to keep to their smaller forms.

Miko spent most of her time in beast form though, training and exploring with her guardian in the rough country that made up most of Nevada. She loved to wrestle with the bulky form of the green Autobot, even though she lost most of the time. She may be strong, but she still needed to learn control over that new found strength so as not to accidentally break things (she was getting better).

Raf tended to stay in human form so he could help around base. He may have been bigger in his beast form, but without opposable thumbs, it wouldn't help him much. That and his long ears and tail tended to cause a bit of havoc. He stuck pretty close to 'Bee and Ratchet and did what he did best, worked with improving the human based technology to make life on earth more tolerable for the irate medic who practically lived in his work space.

Jack greatly preferred his mid-form. It had everything he needed to go about his normal day, plus his wings gave him a feeling of readiness that he simply didn't have in his human form and was easier to maneuver than his beast form. As with his peers, the ebon haired teen took on qualities that were every distinguishable from the animals that they represented. Explaining the motives for why Jack was where he was now; prowling through a thick bit of deciduous forest that he had come upon during an energon scouting mission with Arcee and Optimus. Since it was a very low risk outing, they put up little to no disapproval when he had requested to go. So, promising not to go too far out, the boy had donned his mid-form and set out to satisfy his instinctual cravings for roaming a territory. He tilted his head back and inhaled deeply, absorbing all the scents, trying to distinguish the differences in them all, picking up the scent of a large pray animal, he set off in its direction.

His feet made almost no sound as he trotted toward the animals that he identified as dear, and came upon a clearing with about a dozen or so does and a huge eight point buck. It was the rearing season, so at least half of the does had young. He sat and observed, analyzing the whole situation, picking out which one would be appropriate to take. After selecting a small, young doe without any young of her own, he quickly and silently stripped his clothes and transformed into his beast form.

He crouched and crept as close to the edge of the clearing as he could without alerting the pray to his presence, then judged how much speed he would need, the possible escape routes that that she may take, and focused wholly on her. Than with an adjusting sway of his hips he launched himself into the clearing strait at his intended target.

They all bolted away from the shadowy figure that instantly closed the distance between him and his intended pray, swiftly overtaking her and taking her fragile neck into his massive maw and snapping it in one prompt move, eliminating any pain or suffering for the creature.

Jack stared down at his first large kill, and thought of his _first_ kill, which had been a small rabbit. He had mourned for it, watched as the bright light that made up its soul slowly left the tiny body. Each of the threadlike wisps seeped into the ground and on impulse took a mouthful of its meat, and felt as well as saw the wisps that were still in the warm flesh twirl and fuse with his own. It had been amazing, and as he took the first bite if the small dear he had caught, he watched as its life wisps merge and empower his own. It didn't take long to finish his meal, and bury the bones that he couldn't use.

The blasting sounds that had been emanating from the energon mine that his companions had been working at had ceased, informing him that his hunting time was over. So he reverted to his human form, reapplied his clothes, and morphed into his mid-form. He took one last deep breath, enjoying the scents of deep woods before spreading his wings and taking off in their direction.

He didn't want to leave, and with this being his fifth outing to this location, he had gotten quite used to the area. Instead of high-tailing back to his friends, he inclined and settled on a high current, and slowly glided to the blasting site. He felt just as much at home in the air as he did on the ground. Where his feline instinct helped him adjust to the different terrains of the earth bellow, his avian makeup allowed him to enjoy his time in the air as much as he did hunting among the trees.

He was pulled from his musings by the distant hum if engines; engines that were emanating from above/behind him, and in an effort to delay the imminent discovery of his comrade's location, he dove down low, zipping right above to tree line and transforming to his beast form for more power. He beat his wings furiously, gaining as much speed as he could muster, and just as the jets were about to pass over, he re-angled his trajectory and shot like an arrow at the leading jet. Said jet was Starscream, and was not expecting the mass of flight-capable, organic muscle that was at least half his weight, slam into his nose.

With his course severely altered and the massive claws and fangs of the pitch-black figure ripping at his belly, the SIC of the Decepticons preformed a corkscrew maneuver and threw him. As the airborne panther righted himself, he made to latch onto the silvery-blue jet again. In the confusion of the surprise attack, the following two seekers had righted themselves, and as the black form moved closer to their leader, they opened fire.

Most of the shots fired missed, and harmlessly swung wide of their mark, but as they neared the energon mine, one managed to hit its mark, scorching and puncturing the skin between his right shoulder blade and the connection to his wing joint, and sent the winged panther careening into the ground. Jack landed a good fifty feet from the mine while creating a deep rut in the earth, within clear view of his friends, and was able to hear their distressed exclamations over the sounds of dirt being overturned. The pain from the plasma wound was excruciating as it was coated with grit, and his legs and wings had to at least have been bruised if not utterly broken, numbing his reception to any and all outside activities, though he was still fairly aware.

All of his instincts said to run, to hide, but he couldn't leave his friends to fight alone, so with an immense effort, he forced down his pain and ran at one of the two seekers that were mobbing Arcee. He pounced on its back and ripped at its wings and head, severing energon lines and nerve sensors in any seams in its armor that his sharp claws could hook onto. It latched on to his scruff and ripped the boy turned panther off, tossing him away like a rag doll. He collided with a tree, sending waves of pain and agony through his frame, before he fell to the ground. He levered himself up, getting unsteadily to his paws, very much favoring his left side. The seeker sauntered closer, leveling his blaster to Jacks head, and powering it up.

With a burst of desperation, he surged forward, sprinting right up to the seeker and climbing it like a living ladder. Then, before it could react, Jack took its neck in his massive jaws, and snapped it in half with a deafening 'crack!' severing the helm from its body completely, and watched with slight horror as the tall body fell backwards. Its spark flickering and finally going out as a major part of its anatomy was removed from the whole. He could taste its life blood in his mouth, and feel the crackle of electricity slow, and then finally stop under his paws.

This kill was nothing like the kills that he had done before. This kill was not natural, didn't have true purpose, and it sickened him. Its life force would fade to nothing with no real need to. The pain from his wound was utterly forgotten in his overwhelming grief for the death that he had caused, though it was slowly bleeding out, creating a large pool beneath the two forms, mixing with the energon spilled from the lifeless corps.

He never noticed Starscream flee, but he did feel the servo that touched his more heavily injured wing, and leapt back with a yelp of surprise and pain from the sudden contact.

"Calm yourself, Jack. Well will not harm you." Optimus's reassuring tones cut through the fog of his grief, and in an effort to not seem weak; he straitened his expression and calmly turned to help gather the energon to bring back to base, but the servo never left his wing. He had managed to mask his pain up until then, but as he tried to step away, he heard a distinct snap in his right foreleg. He collapsed into a crumpled heap, just barely muffling his anguished cry into a pitiful, pained grunt.

He could no longer stop his body from shaking, nor could he keep back the whimpers that leaked out with every breath. His vision was slowly being lined in a wave of black, and the sharp pains that pulsed with his heart beats were slowly numbing into a dull throb that echoed back on itself in an endless loop. He only barely heard Optimus com Ratchet for an emergency ground-bridge and to prep the human med bay and Arcee tell him over and over to hold on. The sound of heavy ped falls echoing through a ground-bridge portal was the last thing he processed before he knew no more.

**Autobot Base**

Arcee was pacing back and forth restlessly; worried out of her mind for her young partner who had gone into shock not long after the battle had ended. The look on his face when Optimus had tried to guide him off the 'con he had decapitated was seared into her memory banks. He looked so ashamed and scared before he obviously tried to hide it, and the snap she had heard as he tried to take a step had continued to replay continuously in her processors.

Ratchet came out of the med bay to the anxiously waiting bots in the rec. area. "What's the verdict, doc? Is he gonna be OK?" Arcee asked, slightly surprised and very grateful her vocal processors didn't crack.

"He has a large fracture in his right leg, several hairline fractures in his lower ribs, and both wings and skull, a number of lacerations and contusions littering his torso and dorsal structure, and a vast array of internal damages plus massive blood loss; but from what I have observed of his natural healing processes, and the pace that the nanites are restoring an most of his injuries; as far as I can tell, he should come out of this with a few scars, but whole.

That was music to the cycle-bot's audio receptors. Her partner was going to be OK, but the back of her CPU was still bothering her. She had seen the look on Jack's face before with several new recruits. She supposed that only time would tell if he would be able to pull through and face the truth of war, or if he would shatter like fractured glass as she had seen happen to too many in the past.

**Jack's POV**

I was in my mid-form. The pain from my many injuries that had plagued me during the battle was gone as I wandered through the tranquil grotto that my inner subconscious had formed for me when I found I could condense my emotions and save them. I paced around the shallow pool in the center that I pooled my calm thoughts into, and sat on the rounded boulder that rested half in, half out if the crystal clear water of my calm reserve. I couldn't stop thinking about the drone I had murdered. I had _murdered _it! Snapped its neck and severed its helm from its shoulders in cold blood… err, energon… Whatever. Point was I had done it, and there was no good excuse for my actions. I never saw any of the bots actually _kill_ any other bots, only wound them. I had held nothing back and killed it without a second thought.

"But you're mourning its loss now, and you did have a good reason to kill it." A voice rumbled from behind me.

I felt my heart try to jump out of my chest as I whirled around to face who had spoken. I didn't see him at first, but I saw the faint wisps of his life force drift down from the high edge that formed my little basin. I followed them to their source, who was… A panther?

At my confused expression, it released a light hearted chuckle.

"How..?" I asked. There had never been anyone other than me in my grotto. How did it get here, and is it real?

"Your subconscious decided that you needed someone to discuss your emotions and experiences with. It sensed that you had more than your usual turmoil, and new that you would need someone who could truly understand you and who you wouldn't be able to hide anything from. So it created me, and this is 'real', in a sense. About as real as this grotto we're standing in right now. I guess you could call it a coping device. Oh, and I would rather you not call me an 'it'."

I stared dumfounded at it, and did it just read my thoughts?

"Yes I did. And didn't I just ask you not to call me an 'it'?"

"Sorry, just… Wow." This was definitely the strangest thing I had ever been through, and this was coming from someone who was dragged into an alien war between giant, futuristic, living robots.

"Yeah, your mind is quite a piece of work."

"Did I hit my head? Get a concussion? Or have I just gone insane?"

"Well, you did hit your head, fractured it actually, and no, I wouldn't call you insane. Just… Very in tune with your own needs. Yeah, that sounds right."

"And it chose to give you the form of a panther?"

"I guess so, seeing as that's what I am."

"Ah"

"So down to why I'm here instead of the how. Why do you think that you had no reason to kill that drone?"

I felt a knot build up in pit of my gut, "Well, it was only doing what it was told, and I ruthlessly slaughtered it…"

"Really? And what exactly was it doing before you first attacked it?"

I blinked a few times, trying to think back to what had happened, "It was fighting Arcee."

"Wouldn't she be able to defend herself from a drone?"

"But, there were two of them! She was out numbered. I had to do something!"

"Ah! So you had motive! Then what did you do?"

I recalled needing to help my friends even though it hurt to move, "I tried to distract it. Hit as many weak spots as I could to take its attention off of Arcee."

"And what did it do?"

I felt my face contort into an offended scowl, "It grabbed my scruff and tossed me at a tree. That really hurt!" I winced internally at the memory.

"And then?"

"And then it aimed its blaster at my head, and then I…" I really didn't want to go on.

"And then you..?" He prodded.

"And then I killed it. Snapped its head off, and watched as its life drained to nothing… It didn't need to die, and I killed it." I felt the knot tighten slightly at the words.

"It didn't need to try and kill you, but that didn't stop it from trying to anyway."

"But… It was a drone, a drone of the enemy. This is war. It was only doing what it was supposed to. That was no reason to kill it."

"Yes, you didn't need to kill it, but you also didn't mean to. You didn't intentionally think about doing so, and you followed your impulse. Therefore, going on that logic, you didn't slaughter it. You didn't do what was more than necessary to prevent it from doing more damage. You executed a tactful, painless, and merciful end to what would have been a long and excruciating death, because you know that if you hurt them, and leave them anything more than knocked out, they are left to fend for themselves, and you know that you could have done worse…"

The grotto was silent for a long moment. It was true. I could have done worse… but that was no excuse.

"You won't do so next time. You know you won't. And the next time you go into a battle, you will remember this, and show more restraint. You're still learning and it will take a while to hone your instincts in battle. There are more paths that come far more quickly when in the heat of violence, and eventually you will be able to read, analyze, and chose the best paths when confronted with them, but you can't shy away from it and collapse in on yourself over one mistake. You are capable of so much, and you will get nowhere fast if you beat yourself up at every rough patch."

The grotto started to disintegrate and fade from my view, and the panther's last words to me before all was gone were, "Live and learn and let life flow."

**Autobot base 3****rd**** POV**

Bulkhead rolled into base, music blasting through open windows, and bouncing heavily on his shocks to the near undistinguishable beat of screech metal. Miko threw the door open and launched herself out onto the concrete, landing on her knees strumming an air guitar. "Woo! I love this song!" She jumped back up to her feet and slammed one last strum onto her imaginary instrument, causing the plastic bag on her arm to swing widely, "Dude, I gotta find Jack! I got a few things for him that I think he may like." She saw Arcee leaning against the wall, and quickly made her way over. Hay, 'Cee, you seen Jack?"

The cycle-bot nodded with an impassive expression, "He's recuperating in the med bay. He was hurt in a skirmish at the mine we've been working at. Lost a lot of blood and broke his leg. Ratchet says he'll be fine, though. I don't know if he's up yet, but I wouldn't disturb him for a while." She didn't let it show how much it was hurting her it have to wait for permission to see him. She knew Jack was strong, and that he would more than likely heal up quickly, but that didn't stop her from worrying.

"Oh… We'll, I guess this can be a good 'get well' present for him." Miko stated with a worried tone.

"What is it anyway?" Arcee asked curiously and a bit apprehensively.

"Cat toys!" the human girl exclaimed.

The blue bot looked at her with more than a hint of confusion, "What?"

"Dude, answer me this. What is Jack mixed with?" the raven haired girl asked with her arms crossed and a 'you've-gotta-be-joking' look.

"… Uh, a panther and a bird… What does that have to do with anything?"

"A panther is just a very BIG cat, explaining why he was chasing that little light yesterday. So, I thought that since I have two house cats, and a scrap-ton of entertainment for them, courtesy of my parents, I would pick out some that I think he would like to try!" Miko explained as she took out a type of flash light. When she turned it on, it projected a crude version of the Decepticon insignia in a bright red light.

Arcee smirked, "What else you got in that bag?" she bent down to better see the various trinkets composed of bright streamers, colorful feathers, and jingling bells.

"And now, the crème a la crème!" the Japanese girl stated as she pulled the last item from her bag. She held a nondescript opaque plastic bag that was as big as her hand.

"Alright, I give. What is it?" Arcee inquired as she put down the small, feathered toy on a stick she had been messing with.

"This, my two wheeled friend, is high grade of the feline variety. Nepeta cataria, or the more common name… Catnip!" the raven haired girl declared with a satisfied smirk.

Arcee looked at her with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. "If this is like high grade, will he get overcharged?"

"Well, if my understanding of your terminology is correct, than your asking if he is going to start acting loopy? I honestly couldn't tell you. Every cat is different, and some cats get VERY intoxicated, while others, they get nothin'. It all depends on the cat."

"Ah. So, how does it work?" the blue femme asked as she looked at the bag.

"I used to just let my cats eat it. It can be pretty good for their systems, relieving stress and providing a treat for them when they were patient and didn't destroy the house while we were out. I don't think Jack would willingly eat a hunk of grass, though I think that if we were to put it in a pastry of some sort or possibly make it tea, he would be more willing to at least try it."

Arcee perked up at the mention of 'stress relief' and a hopeful thought entered her processors. "Miko, how much do you think that you would need for cookies and that tea you mentioned?"

Miko's face lit up with a wide grin. She practically just got permission to get her friend high, but heck, after what he has been through (as she has heard) he may need something like this. "I think I can make the stuff if you give it to him. He would trust you more."

Arcee chuckled as she nodded her head. This was going to be interesting.

**Two days later**

It took Jack around a day and a half to wake up from his injuries, and another six or so hours of strict bed rest before he was allowed visitors by the irate medic. In that time, Miko had baked a full platter of chocolate chip cookies that were mixed with the feline drug, and brewed a thermos of catnip tea. Presenting her confections to the blue cycle-bot, she waited pseudo-patiently to hear of the results of her endeavors.

Arcee walked into the med bay, faceplates graced with a confident smile and pep in her step. She held her borrowed gifts slightly behind her, keeping them just barely in sight. The black ball of fur that was situated on a medical berth uncurled into the beast form of her partner, the dark smoky blue eyes that scanned the room for what had broken the silence of the med bay, and settling on the blue frame of his partner. His ears perked and head tilted inquisitively as she made her way over.

"What do you have there, 'Cee?" Jack asked as he carefully stretched his limbs.

"Oh, this is a special treat that I got for you." The femme answered as she set down the plate of cookies and thermos of warm tea.

Jack sniffed at the plate, "Really? Who helped you make them, and what's in them? I don't recognize the other sent under the chocolate chips."

"Miko helped me. She got you some stuff that she thought you might like, and came up with something that might help you relax and put it in the tea and cookies. I thought it was a good idea, and I did my research on it to double check. It shouldn't do any harm. Not with such a small amount."

The boy turned panther took one of the cookies and chewed carefully before swallowing. His eyes dilated a bit "This tastes pretty good, though I don't think I've ever tasted anything like this. It's sweet and goes well with the chocolate. You say that Miko helped you with this? Did she tell you what it was called?"

"Yeah, it's Nepeta cataria."

"… Sounds Latin. Does it have an English name?" He asked as he started staring at a spot on the floor with fascination.

Noticing his lack of focus, she let out a small giggle before replying "Catnip."

Jack's eyes snapped from a point on the ceiling to his partner, and stared at her like her helm was gone. He was quiet for a moment and moved his gaze loosely from the plate to the thermos and back to her. "Huh. And… I forgot what I was gonna say…"

His expression changed as he continued to stare at her, going from disbelief to a more dazed, blank gaze. He wasn't looking at her any more. He was looking _through_ her. "Why does your spark sing so sharply when you seem to be so… I don't know… You seem like you should be so much softer. You seem so indifferent and playful." Arcee looked at her you partner with a look not unlike the one Jack had not a moment ago only with much more perplexity.

"You are so soft and kind on the inside! Why do you let your past make you so cold that it changes your soul? OH! That's what it is! You _had _a softer tune at one point! I can hear the under colors in the chords if I focus hard enough. It's just what has happened… What happened that hurt you so much? Why do you hurt?" Jack asked as he tried get to his paws, but couldn't seem to find his balance. So he just sat on his rump.

"Well?" he demanded with as stern a frown he could manage while trying to hold back near uncontrollable giggles.

It was obvious that the young boy was 'high' (as the websites she visited suggested) and was not processing as he usually would. She didn't know if she should be angry at his calling her soft and asking about painful topics, or amused with his lack of coordination and tact. So she just settled with taking the remnants of the cookies and the unopened thermos of tea, and made one last comment before she left him to sober up a bit. "I think I'll just leave you to think about it. If you're so smart to see it, you should be more than qualified to figure it out yourself." Her face lit up with an amused smirk as she left the med bay, turning to see him with a look of deep thought on his face.

She passed Optimus on his way to see the winged panther himself. He flashed a curious half smile at her as a silent question, and she answered with a smirk, "Miko brought up a plate of cookies and tea for Jack that had catnip in it. Be forewarned, he's a bit strange right now." She continued down the hallway to the rec. area, the Autobot leader staring after her with a look of puzzlement before shaking his helm at the femme and young girl's antics, and headed into the med bay.

What he was greeted with was the mid from of the boy with a look of pain on his face. "Jack, what is wrong?" he asked in concern as he approached the med berth.

Jack forced a half smile for the Autobot leader. "Heh, well he didn't say I couldn't change form, but I don't think I will again, at least until I heal a bit more; that kind of hurt."

Optimus chuckled lightly as he went to crouch by the berth. "No, I don't suppose that would be a wise decision. So, besides your painful discovery, how are you feeling?"

"'Uh, well, I can't seem to keep my thoughts in one place. That catnip really messed with my head. I think I know why it's called being 'high' now, my head feels light and fuzzy, and my reflexes are a bit sluggish, kind of like I'm floating. Do you guys have something like that?" the dazed boy asked as he swayed lightly from side to side, eye lids half closed.

"Well… I think the closest we have to your 'high' would be post overload. I don't think that we have any substances that cause the sensation though." stated Optimus with a hint of mirth.

"Overload… Overload… Where have I heard that term before…?" A look of deep concentration crossed the winged boy's face, "Ratchet said it was very similar to something we humans do… but wait… I'm not _exactly _human any more am I? Though since I still have a human side, so I guess it still counts, huh?" he huffed in irritation as ha continued to rack his brain." OK, I can't seem to pull up anything right now. What was overload very similar to? Do you know? It's OK if you don't."

Optimus chuckled lightly, "An overload is similar to a human orgasm, Jack."

"Oh yeah! I remember now. You guys can have 'sex' too. Though that's not what you call it. You call it centerface, right?" the inebriated boy asked.

"Close, it is not centerface, but interface. Though we do not reproduce that way, we do find much pleasure in the act."

After a brief pause to absorb the information, Jack burst out laughing for seemingly no reason. The Autobot leader looked at the boy in front of him with curious enjoyment," May I ask what you find so entertaining?"

Jack tried and failed to stifle his boisterous laughter," I just had an interesting image of Megatron interfacing with a vehicon. Oh, that poor 'con… Did I really just think of that?" he trailed off as his gaze shifted to stare into space.

After about four or five minutes with no response from the raven haired teen, Optimus tried to get the young boy's attention. He was quite enjoying the free range conversation he was having with the teen. He was more tolerant of the subjects when in this state, though he was being rather unresponsive at the moment, "Jack…?"

"All of you guy's sparks are really pretty, did you know that?" the young boy asked suddenly.

Startled by the sudden topic change, the large bot tilted his helm in confusion before replacing it with a look of amusement, "What makes you say that, jack?"

"Well, each soul, or spark, from a distance, is one uniform color, but the closer I get, the better I see the other shades and hues that paint your very being. Most people I see have that one color and most of the time just a few faint flashes of color that entangle with their main color… I look at one of you guy's sparks… and I see thick bands of color, at sometimes I can't even tell what your original hues were. I saw Arcee's spark, and it was laced with such dense ribbons of iced blue that I thought… I don't know what I thought, but the light periwinkle of her orb was nearly undistinguishable against the sharp tint from the blue, she almost seems to hide, but yours… Your spark hue is easily apparent, even among the many tendrils of colors that entwine it" Jack explained.

"Do you know what each color means? Does each color have a different meaning?" the blue and red bot asked curiously.

"Well, meaning isn't just based on color. It's the color paired with the emotions I feel and the songs that each sings. They portray who they are; how much they have been shaped. Most souls have simple tunes and single colors, but… There are others. Like yours specifically; it has a myriad of colors that flow into one another flawlessly like Aurora Borealis and a song as complex as an expansive orchestra that is perfectly balanced and tuned to each other. Ratchet and Arcee, though to a much lesser extent do much the same, they entwine with experience and a greater understanding than those I have met before. Do you understand? I think I'm finally starting to." The boy's eyes held an intense fascination as his gaze shifted from the large bot's chassis to his awe filled optics, the inebriated state he had been in almost completely gone now.

"It is certainly an amazing gift you have, Jack. When did you obtain it?"

"I started seeing the wisps about a year and a half ago. They were very faint, and for the longest time I thought they were just a part of my imagination. But when the wisps became more noticeable, I started seeing where they came from. It wasn't until very recently that I have been able to tell so much more about them so well. I think my transformation intensified them a lot." Jack berth with droopy eyes and stretched with a wide yawn. "OH, I'm sorry! I don't know where all my energy went."

The red and blue bot smiled endearingly at the young boy before him, "It is fine, Jack. You have had an exhausting few days, and you are still recovering. Ratchet informed me that due to your infusion with the nanites, he was able to program them to act as they would for a cybertronian, and speed you healing process exponentially. Your bones will take the longest to heal, and should be fully mended within a few weeks at most. In fact, aside from your casts, there is nearly no evidence left that you were ever injured at all."

The boy nodded with a tired smile and curled his tail up around his feet and began to clean and straiten the feathers on his unbroken wing. Optimus sat and watched curiosity as the boy ran his fingers through the dense plumage and noticed a slight shudder run through his frame. It then occurred to him that the boy was fully exposed without his normal clothing, and that he most likely didn't realize his nudity. "Jack, would you care for a covering of some sort? You are shivering."

The boy stopped and looked himself over, and his hands immediately flew to his groin, "Oh my gosh! I am _so _sorry Optimus! I-I… Uh, y-yes, I would love something to cover up with, thank you." A bright blush had worked its way all the way down his neck and was trying his hardest to cover himself with his uninjured wing.

"There is no need to be uncomfortable, Jack. As we have told you before, we do not view our coverings in a modesty preserving manner. It was refreshing to have you so open and at ease. I think that you should know that your thoughts are interesting to listen to, and you are very insightful." Optimus stated calmly as he went to a table nearby to fetch a blanket. "I will leave you to rest."

"Th-thanks Optimus." The boy replied as he took the blanket and watched the leader leave the med bay.

**Autobot Base a week and a half later 3****rd**** POV **

Jack was board out of his mind. With his injuries still healing and his mother's and Arcee's paranoia levels in the stratosphere, there wasn't an offal lot to do. So with flying and hunting out of the question due to his broken leg and wing, he was left to sprawl out in his beast form on top of the rocky mesa that concealed and housed the silo base, soaking up sun as it approached its peak. He almost wasn't even able to do this, because of his mom's statement that 'he could get heat stroke!' His only defense was that his animal halves were more suited to warmer climates and would be more content out there anyway.

The heat felt wonderful and there was a faint breeze brushing over his fur, but that wasn't enough to pull him out of his gloom. He was fine not hunting for a while. He could play gently with Raf to satisfy that, but he desperately wanted to fly again. He itched to feel the thermals under his wings and hear the roar of the wind in his ears. It was getting harder to for him not to snap at everything, and his reactions were starting to become more violent.

He had been reclining right where he was now several days back, doing the same thing he was doing now, when Arcee came to check on him. He didn't even register that she was there until she touched his shoulder, because he was so lost in his longing (though he wouldn't tell her that). He had nearly her servo off, and was still apologizing to her for it.

A week. He had been out of the med bay for a week, and he was slowly losing his mind. Hauxer (as his mental panther friend had dubbed himself) had commented that he needed to get out and at least around the outside of the base, flex his senses and stretch his limits a bit. But when he tried to get anywhere outside the base besides the top, the medic or his mother was there to foil his plans. He had begged and pleaded to go out, even if it meant that someone was out there with him he didn't care, he just needed out. His leg had healed to the point that he could walk on it (albeit with a cast), and had taken up passing the length of the main room when he wasn't on top of the base or sleeping/napping, taking on the role of the caged animal that he was.

He would have escaped to the open desert by jumping to the ground from the top, but with his wing still weak and tender, as was his leg, they would fracture even further. So, he was basically trapped until his limbs were finished healing, and the longer he brooded over it, the worse the need became.

Deciding that he had had enough of sitting on top of the base, Jack went back inside with a firm scowl on his face, and as much of a stomping gait he could manage with his cumbersome cast. Optimus, Bulkhead, and Arcee were out on an energon collecting mission at the mine that he had been injured at; Miko and Raf were both with 'Bee at the local skate park, and his mom was at work, leaving the base empty save for Ratchet. The irate medic was, for once, not working in the lab, and was instead monitoring his team mates as they harvested the vital ore. At the sound of Jack's low, almost subconscious growl (which he had been continuously resonating for the last few days), the red and white bot glanced at the black form as he entered the main room. "Jack, are you alright?" he asked with a near undetectable hint of concern. The medic always tried to hide his emotions behind the gruff and grouchy attitude, but his worry shown through none the less.

Jack looked at the red and white bot, his face a firm scowl. His growl intensified slightly as he turned his head back and continued in the direction he had been heading.

Slightly affronted be the onyx feline, he made to intercept him, stepping into the winged panther's path, "Jack, answer me. What is wrong?"

The growl intensified further and seeped into his voice, "_Nothing_ is wrong Ratchet, now _move_."

"Jack, there is something wrong. Now you can either tell me, or I can find out my own way." The medic threatened.

"I need to go out. Now _move!_" the panther growled, taking a step forward.

"You know you can't do that, Jack. You can go back out when you are healed. Not before. You'll only make your injuries worse."

The panther's growl reached ground trembling decibels and began to trot to the exit of the base.

"Jack, please! Listen to me!" he exclaimed as he grabbed the uninjured wing to hold back the fuming feline only to pull it back as Jack whirled around and crunched his massive maw onto the offending servo. "Jack!" he yelled in shock as the enormous form lunged at his chassis and bowled him over, claws digging into transformation seams, tearing at delicate wires. The colossal jaw clamped thick neck supports and attempted to sever the 'offender's' helm clean off. That is until Ratchet, in an act of pure desperation threw the pitch form from his own, sending Jack across the room, slamming into a wall with a pitiful, pained whimper.

In a last bit of wild desperation, the panther bolted as fast as he possibly could by the downed mech, and out into the dessert, leaving a confused and worried Ratchet in his wake.


	5. The Evaluation

**OK. Let all be warned. There is a bit of mature content in this._ Very tame_, but mature none the less. If you find homosexual attraction offensive, I am sorry, but it is there. It won't be for very long, but the last thing I need is someone getting offended over a simple awkward scene. **

**You all have been warned. Now, onto the story! :) **

* * *

Jack ran. His paws hit the scorching sandy, gritty ground in thundering force, carrying him fast and far, the pain from his healing leg utterly forgotten in his blind sprint. He felt the heated torrents of air tug insistently at his wings and fur. It wasn't enough to fully satisfy the intense hunger for flight, but somehow, it did do enough to help clear his thoughts and he slowly felt his mind come back into focus.

The farther he got from base, the more he began to realize what exactly he had done, though as it seemed, he didn't remember much. Everything was a fast passed blur of words, pictures and emotions lined in a haze of red and white; nothing really all that he did remember was enough to send a title wave of guilt and shame through him. He had attacked Ratchet… He had remembered the medic standing in front of him, arguing about… Something… Something about him not being able to do something that the winged panther felt he had a _right_ to do, though for the life of him, he couldn't remember what…

Jack shook his massive skull in lingering irritation, and spotted a very large outcrop of mesas. Altering his course, he bee-lined for the shaded ravines. As he passed into the first shelves of shadow, his keen nose picked up the faint sent of water, and a bit of plant life. The natural scents were calming and instinctually familiar. Slowing to a slow trot, he roamed the expansive dusty tan walls, poking his nose into little alcoves and crevices.

It was in one of these crevices that he came upon what would become the physical version of his mental grotto. It was a deep basin-like cave that looked to be carved out from the rock face, like a large acoustical shell of stone. The ceiling curved and domed to a hole just big enough that when the sun was at its peak, the light that flowed through was precisely wide enough to outline the deep, crystalline pool that resided in the center of the half room. Sporadically spaced across the edges of the sandy, dusty floor were small cloves of a wide variety of flora; tiny flowers and tufts of grass, the pool in the center clear enough to see deeply to the bottom, reveling tiny, colorful fish and algae's living along its bed.

Awe and peace washed over him as he took in the glorious scene before him, and after a few moments the feelings intensified. Curiously confused, Jack sent out a pulse of similar emotions and listened for its course. He was amazed at what he found. The emotions _echoed _off the walls of the stone shell, then out into the ravine and from there, back into the shell, resonating like sound. He was amused by the sudden discovery, but as he enjoyed the new freedom, his thoughts drifted back to his friends, and in turn, to Ratchet. His mood immediately darkened, and with a shameful gloom in his chest, he settled by the pool and tried to think of a good way to apologize to the old medic, and a good explanation to his actions.

**Road to Autobot Base 3****rd**** POV**

Raf looked out 'Bee's window to the expansive desert that bordered the small town of Jasper, mind roving from topic to topic. Miko had fallen from one of the larger half pikes and scraped up her legs quite a bit; giving the fourteen year old boy just the excuse he needed to head back to the base.

He had not only _not_ wanted to go, but he had no reason to. He was no good at skating, biking, or boarding, and from what he saw of Miko's 'skills', he had come to understand that neither did she. He was thinking of the looks of the other teens that had been there, and though none of the ridicule had been directed to him (via him not participating), that didn't mean he didn't feel for the Japanese exchange student as they laughed and verbally jabbed at her. He didn't know how she did it. She took all of their snide comments in stride as well as shot a few back at them for their bad grammar (he swore that some of them could _only_ talk in text lingo).

The only reason he had agreed to accompany her in the first place had been the fact that he had nothing better to do. Until the main frame finished downloading the most resent firewalls that he had recoded and improved, none of the internet based things on his to do list would be doable, due to the restart. That, and Ratchet had said he needed a bit of fresh air and sun. He could use the vitamin D.

The boy genius was pulled from his thoughts by a billowing dust cloud a couple hundred yards from the road. At first he thought it might have been a dust devil, but the longer he looked at it, the less likely that seemed. It almost looked like something or someone was driving through the desert sands. He saw brief flashes of black in the flying grit, but no more.

He lost sight of the phenomenon as 'Bee entered the base, and pulled into the main area. What they saw then was a shock to say the least, because there in the middle of the floor, was Ratchet, trying to pick himself up and holding one of many leaking wounds that were scattered across his frame. The two children immediately exited Bumblebee, and allowed the yellow mech to transform and help the red and white bot to his feet and toward his med bay.

/By Primus, Ratchet! What happened? / 'Bee twittered and chirped in worry.

"Jack! H-He's lost his mind!" the medic explained in a hurt and worried tone. "He attacked me, and took off! I know that he has been more irritated as of late, but I _never_ expected him to harm anyone!"

Raf felt a knot of concern build in his chest. 'That must have been Jack out there.' The boy looked from the medic to the base entrance tunnel and back, "I'm gonna go look for him." He stated loudly before stripping and morphing into his beast form. He was out of the base before any of the others could protest.

His paws felt light and airy as he flitted across the dry landscape, raising his nose to the sky and drawing in any scents that would lead him to his friend. What he picked up made the rabbit/fox start to the point that he almost lost his footing and fall face first into the gritty rock below foot. All thoughts of his friend left his thoughts at the scent that nearly overwhelmed him; a heavy musk rolled through his systems, setting all his nerves on edge and a wave of heat pooled in his stomach. He came to a complete stop and looked through the surrounding debris for the source of the intoxicating smell.

What he found was a fox's whole, and inside were a pair of said creatures that were… Mating. The one beneath the other was exuding a warm, sweet scent, but that wasn't the one that held his focus. No, the dominant animal held most of his attention. The heavy musk he was emitting sent his instincts to a point they were almost uncontrollable. He snapped out of his trance enough to high-tail and run. He stopped a good four hundred yards from the burrow.

'What caused _that_?' the boy though as he took up residence on a rock. His scientific side was going nuts. He knew enough about animal anatomy to know what the two of them were doing, and what the scents implied, but it took him a bit more thought to try and come up with a reason for why he might have reacted the way he did.

First it was the scent. Then he felt the pull to find the source of said scent. He wondered where the recognition of the scent came from, and pondered the possibility of his animal halves. The fox and rabbit in his new anatomy seemed to have melded to each other perfectly. His fox part recognized the scent, and the rabbit reacted. He knew that the fox that he came into contact with was male, and that his pet rabbit at home was female. It all made sense, and the scent of the actions between the two animals had sent his hormones into frenzy.

He still felt the pool of warmth in his abdomen, but it was at a tolerable level for now. So with a determined shake of his head, he ignored the musk scent, and picked up on his friend's still fresh scent. His paws thumped softy on the sandy ground as he followed the trail to an outcropping of towering mesas. He slowed to a steady trot, and made his way through the shadowy passages. It wasn't long before he found the onyx form of Jack.

The older teen looked miserable, if the very visible sag in his wings and ears were anything to go by, and the steady rumble that had been reverberating from the panther's chest for the past few days was nonexistent. So as not to scare his friend, he swung wide around the pool, and called softly to him.

"Jack? Are you OK?"

The ebon feline flinched and whirled around with his tail between his legs and his wings and ears pulled close to his body, though he relaxed when he recognized his young friend. "Raf," he said quietly and settled by the pool again' "Raf, I… I think I messed up big time…"

The younger boy's face held an understanding and sad frown, "Yeah, I saw Ratchet. Why 'd you hurt him?"

The panther's head bowed deeply and a pained sigh escaped his maw, "I… Don't know, Raf. I don't know why I attacked one of my closest friends, and I don't know how I'm even going to apologize… or explain. I… I can't even remember anything apart from a few blurry images... I just know I _needed _something and I needed it _right then_, and I knew that Ratchet was there keeping me from it. I felt a rush of rage and desperation… How the hell will I ever talk to him again..?" a lone tear slipped over his furry muzzle and popped into the crystalline pool, sending tiny, rippling waves across its glassy surface. He lifted his head and faced his young companion, his gray-blue eyes glazed and miserable, "I almost killed him, Raf" his voice vibrating with guilt and shame.

The smaller creature felt a twinge of sympathy well up in his chest, "But you didn't, Jack. He will forgive you, because that is how he is. You know that… It's obvious that there's something going on with your head, and we need to find out what it is. Why don't you come with me back to base? Try to explain what happened to Ratchet? I'm sure that if you try, everything will work out."

The ebon feline looked a bit apprehensive, and turned his massive skull back to the pool before solemnly nodding. The boy turned fox padded carefully up to his larger friend's side and nuzzled against his side. "What if I lose control again? What if I really do kill him, or someone else?"

"I think you don't give yourself enough credit. You are strong willed and determined. I don't think you'll do anything this time."

"But, how do you know? I don't remember wha…" the panther stopped midsentence, and his eyes lit with up with sudden realization. "I-I… Needed to fly… I was desperate and I _needed _it. It felt like my mind was slowly falling apart… And that has to legitimately be the _worst _excuse I have ever heard. I almost killed my friend over something so… _Trivial_!" he looked to his smaller friend, "I almost _killed _him over it!" he whispered, a thick tone of anguish and self loathing.

Raf's eyes grew wide and worried, "Are you even listening to yourself? You act like he won't forgive you."

"But why should he? Why would anyone want to be anywhere near someone who almost purposefully killed them?"

"But It's obvious that you _didn't_ purposefully do it, or at least not in your right mind. There was _something_ wrong, and you were not you. Ratchet will see that, and he will forgive you. That's just how he is. Yes, he is more than a little on the gruff side, and yes, he does lose his temper with some things, but if I've learned anything about him from the short time I have known him, it's that he wouldn't hold a grudge for something like this. If anything he is very worried about you, and wants to help in any way he can. So let him. Let that be your apology. Show that you didn't do that in your right mind and ask for help." The boy turned fox exclaimed as he got to his paws in a show of spirited resolution.

Jack looked at his young companion and saw the unwavering determination, and felt a wave of pride wash over him. He couldn't help but smile at the boy; his positive attitude very contagious. The winged panther got to his own paws, and curled his neck around the fox/rabbit's, resting it on the boy's shoulders and bringing his feathery wings around the both of them in a grateful hug. "Thanks, I needed that."

"No problem. Now, let's head back. The others must be worried sick."

Jack released Raf and nodded, feeling lighter and in more control. He only hoped that it lasted. The two of them trotted from the acoustical cave and out into the blazing Nevada sun, though with the tropical temperament of their animals, the heat was pleasant and exhilarating.

Raf got a mischievous glint in his eyes, and with no warning, he pounced onto his older friend, trying and failing to pin him to the ground. Though Jack, not wanting to pass up a chance to play with his young companion, rose to the challenge and began to tumble about the ground, their laughter ringing joyously across the sandy landscape.

Raf dodged and scampered over and around Jack's larger frame, all the while taking the time to marvel at the feline's agile (though not as agile as his own) movements, feeling the previously dormant heat that had resided in his abdomen flair as he watched the massive figure looming over him, trying to pin him down.

His thoughts moved to foreign topics that caused the pool of heat to intensify, and wondered what it would be like to be with his older friend. He was not all that innocent in the knowledge of sexuality, and had explored (he _was _a computer techy after all), though he had never given the thought of how he would feel towards another individual, let-alone a guy. And as his friendly sparing match continued, his thoughts moved to Jack's well shaped frame, and his powerful control, imagining the sensations he might feel when pinned under the large feline's bulk, feeling arousal build in his body.

Unbeknown to the fox/rabbit, the thoughts that lead to his arousal had triggered responses in his still developing body, allowing a sweet aroma leave him. This was, in turn, picked up by the winged panther he was sparing with, causing him to stop in his tracks.

The older boy stared in curious confusion at the younger, his senses fairing. He didn't know exactly what to make of the scent, but it triggered powerful emotions in him. He felt the need to claim and protect. The primal instincts that spoke a language that was becoming increasingly familiar and understandable with every passing day didn't take over (as it usually would), but coupled with his natural logic for once and allowed him to try and comprehend why he was feeling what he was.

He tried to interpret what it was that the youngling's body was trying to convey to him (because it was obvious that it was the older male that had caused it) and as he went over the things that he had learned of their animal parts, a voice in his head whispered _primal heat_. Then it donned on him. Raf was coming of age… and his body was broadcasting the declaration in the only way it knew how.

The sweet scent was alluring, but he wouldn't let that temp him (that is unless Raf engaged first, of course) and squelched the urge before it could take hold. So with a conclusive nod, he proceeded to try and inform his younger friend of his new development.

Raf, thoroughly baffled by the abrupt halt in the friendly spar, asked "What's wrong? Are you OK?"

"I'm fine Raf, but I think you should know that your scent has changed; drastically, in fact. I could be completely wrong in this, but I think that you are coming into a heat."

The younger boy just stared dumbfounded at his elder, not fully processing the words. Then his face lit up in understanding, and his ears and tail flattened close to his body in utter embarrassment, "Oh jeez, I and _so_ sorry, Jack! I-I didn't mean to, but I-I, uh-"

The panther laughed lightheartedly, "it's fine Raf. It's nothing to be ashamed of. It's perfectly natural, and proving that you're healthy and developing well. I did a lot of research on the animals that we were fused with, and this is to be expected, though I wasn't expecting to be a trigger."

The youngling giggled softly, still a bit embarrassed, "well, I didn't expect this _at all_, so I guess were even, huh?"

"Heh, yeah."

Unknown to the two changed boys, several hundred feet up, a scouting fleet of seekers lead by none other than Starscream himself scanned over the barren landscape for traces of energon and any signs of the Autobot base.

"Hum. What have we here?" the flight commander drawled as the boys came into view, "quite large for pests around here."

He signaled for the wing to fly in for a closer look, and better judge their importance. The egotistical seeker immediately recognized the winged fiend that near off lined him before one of the last energon raids, and felt a knot of anger form in his tanks. Directing the wing to the ground, he transformed and landed before the two organic transformers. "Well, if it isn't the organic beast that interfered at the last raid. By the way the way you collided with the ground, I thought that surely you would have perished from your wounds. It appears that I was sorely mistaken."

"What do you want you metallic peacock? Come to flaunt your shiny wings and fluff your ego to the resident organics? What? Did Megatron finally get tired of your preening?" Jack taunted as he took a defensive position in front of his younger friend.

Thoroughly taken aback when his inquiries were not only answered by the furry pest, but laden with sarcasm and intelligence; Starscream's seeker nature to defend his honor, flared to life. Fanning out his wings in a show of dominant aggression, the Decepticon SIC Approached the massive organic.

Jack, instinctually recognizing the motions, flared his own wings and stood on his hind paws. The two stood not ten feet from one another, and proceeded to intimidate the other. Their wings flapping and expanding and the deep waved growls from engine and lungs rolled like an ominous thunder across the desert land.

Though the feline only came to the seeker's chassis, the SIC knew better than to assume that size was everything. They stared after one another, waiting, estimating, and judging. Trying to anticipate what the other might do.

Their audience backed off a bit, waiting for the fall out to begin. And then, the SIC lunged, aiming a sharp, talented servo at the organic's exposed belly. The feline dodged, beat his massive wings, bringing him above the seeker's helm, and landed gracefully between the flared metallic wings. The sight of Jack riding Starscream's back like a rodeo bull was thoroughly amusing to the seeker underlings and remaining organic; seeing the once dignified SIC bound around with a ball of feathery fluff attached to his back coaxing a soft wave of laughter from those watching.

Jack, growing very tired of the silly (in his opinion) antics of the seeker bellow him, beat his mighty wings enough to pull the two of them up a bit, and caused Starscream to fall on his face as his feet touched the ground once more. Wasting no time, the onyx feline latched his massive jaws into the sensitive neck cabling and clamped down just enough to dent the plaiting. The SIC froze immediately. Feeling the sharp teeth wrap threateningly around a main energon line, Starscream lay still hoping for no serious injury.

Jack dug his claws into transformation seams, and tore lightly at delicate cabling. "Do you yield?" Jack asked in a gravelly tone that was heard clearly to their audience despite his mouth being full of neck. When the SIC didn't answer, he repeated, "_Do you yield?_" digging his canines into the complex circuitry.

Finally, Starscream responded with an aggravated huff, "FINE! Just get off me you discussing flesh bag!"

Complying, Jack leaped gracefully from the downed form, and assumed his previous position of being a living shield for his younger friend.

Starscream got to his peds once more, and turned a glare at his 'superior'. He was furious. HE had never been beaten by anyone but Megatron. How was it that the pathetic organic pest was able to do so? His scientific side decided to rear its long dormant helm, and a wicked grin played across his faceplates. Faster than a flash, his servo was up, releasing a missile right at the feet of the two organics, throwing them back each at least a dozen feet. On contact with the ground, Raf was knocked unconscious, but Jack held on to it for a few seconds, just enough to see Starscream come into his line of sight before all was black to his eyes.

The Decepticon SIC approached the two unconscious organics, and knelt down to closely examine them. Running diagnostic scans, he searched the human internet to find the names of the species of the two. After combing through several documenting sites, and finding nothing that resembles anything comparing to the strange creatures at his mercy, he made his decision.

Turning to two of his four on-servo lackeys, he instructed for them to prepare them for ground-bridging. Bringing his servo to his helm, he called the TIC for pick-up.

Not a moment later, the green vortex opened up a few paces away, allowing the mechs with their prisoners' passage. In no time at all, all mechs were through, and the portal closed, leaving a silent wasteland once more, save for the large, smoking crater littered with flecks of spilled energon and blood.

Shadowy figures, previously hidden from view by large stone outcroppings, emerged and investigated the abandoned scene. One in particular knelt down by a small pool of blood that had partially fused with a few drops of energon and took a glass vile and a small pipette from a pocket on his green vest. With infinite care, the masked figure drew a sample of the blood and deposited it into the vile before capping it. Placing the now in-use storage device in its pocket, he scanned the area for a similarly sized pool of energon to sample, and saw the heavily armed form of one of his comrades collecting from one already.

The other figure finished the task, and turned to meet the first's goggled eyes. With a nod from each, a third figure drew a cellular device from his own green vest and placed it to his ear, "Sir, the subjects had a confrontation. We collected samples from the scene. The other party was unknown to our data bases. Observations: organic, intelligent, and recognized by subjects, permission to return to HQ."

The voice on the other end was deep and his tone was laced with intrigue, "Marvelous, permission granted. You all have done well to further the progress of MECH."

"Yes sir!" with an almost solemn air, the cellular device was placed back into its pocket, and as silently as the figures had appeared, they vanished behind the outcroppings. A distant rumble of starting engines sounded through the air and slowly grew softer as the vehicles retreated. All that was left at the sight was a few near undistinguishable wisps of smoke still wafting up from the missile crater. No trace of the shadowy figures to be found, by fellow humans or perceptive cybertronians.


End file.
